


Weather

by me413



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Cloud Strife-centric, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Parenthood, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-06
Updated: 2020-07-20
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:07:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 29,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24570556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/me413/pseuds/me413
Summary: A year after Deepground, things don't go as planned. With his family in pieces, it's up to Cloud to make things right. With his kids and his friends behind him, maybe he'll be just fine. And maybe he'll find someone he lost.
Relationships: Cid Highwind/Shera, Tifa Lockhart/Cloud Strife, Zack Fair/Aerith Gainsborough
Comments: 61
Kudos: 106





	1. Chapter 1

Cloud Strife was afraid. After the return of Sephiroth two years ago and the emergence of Deepground in the year past, Cloud's fear had finally pushed him to stop dilly-dallying with Tifa Lockhart, the pretty girl from Nibelheim. One confession and kiss later, they were a couple much to the surprise of their friends who had assumed they had already gone past that point. Despite his own self-doubt, he knew that he adored her and he showed it. From quick pecks on the cheek before he went off for deliveries to surprise hugs when they were alone, he was doing his best to show that he cherished her. Because of that, things between them were good. Sadly, that didn't last as the year went on. Slowly, she seemed to dim with every chaste touch of their lips, a wordless chill taking over as he felt her push him away. His arms around her weren't enough. He had become a stranger to her again. He knew she wanted more.

But he was just starting to reintegrate himself into their lives. He still hadn't regained Denzel's trust completely. Or Marlene's. Or even hers. He could hear the relief in her voice when he returned home no matter how short his time away. Feel the tightness in the hugs of the children as if they were trying to keep him from leaving again. He still wasn't good enough. And he knew that he hadn't been trying enough. But maybe if he kept at it, they would all see. He cared. He always did. But what if he made a mistake? Their feeble trust in him? Gone again. Maybe for good this time. He would take it slowly, he decided. Rushing into it would only make things worse.

Pulling into Seventh Heaven's driveway, Cloud comforted himself with the knowledge that their bond as a family had survived worse. Especially his and hers. Tifa had always been there. From the destruction of their hometown to saving the planet and starting a family together. But he had disappointed her before. Left her alone so that he could wallow in his self-pity and anguish before giving in to a slow death. But she had helped him. Their friends had helped him. Their family did. So it was his turn to repay them.

Setting the kickstand down on Fenrir and making his way into the building, Cloud resolved to greet his lady love with the best smile his normally stoic face could muster. Hoping to find her crouched behind the bar, he realized that she wasn't there. So he checked every other area of the house. Her room? His? Denzel's? Marlene's? Gone. He waited the entire day, thinking that she was just off somewhere. An unannounced trip around the city. Eventually, Barret returned after a day with the kids. Cloud asked him and Barret didn't know a thing, looking just as confused as the blonde swordsman. Mind reeling, Cloud set off again on Fenrir, roving the entirety of Edge and even parts of Midgar's ruins. It was only when Cloud returned home late that night that he finally got his answer. One of their neighbors had seen her leave early that morning with a duffel bag slung over her shoulder.

"How was she? Was she alright?" asked a concerned Cloud, exhausted and stained with dirt from his frantic search.

A shrug. "I thought she was crying."

With those words, Cloud knew what that meant. Once again, she was hurt. And once again, it had been his fault. But she wouldn't be coming back this time. He wasn't going to be forgiven. Why would she forgive him?

She realized she deserved better. Better than him. Better than a puppet, he could almost hear Sephiroth say. She would come back for the kids. For their friends. But him? Never again.

One month later…

"Hey," the man groaned. "Are you open?"

Cloud walked up to Seventh Heaven's locked doors and flipped the sign to "Closed" before he stomped back into the recesses of the now unlit Seventh Heaven. With a frustrated sigh, the customer left. "Screw you, dude. Where the heck is Tifa?"

Cloud murmured to himself. "Gone."

With Tifa, this place would be packed. With Tifa, this place would be teeming with the smell of fresh food and the sound of laughter. Without her, this place was just a shell. A blank space. One of his own making. Things had been fine for the first two weeks. Supplies were high. The food and drink flowed easily. The money did too. But food and drink didn't last forever. With that, so did the people and then the money. Soon, his friends had become concerned. Not a peep out of their home for half a month. Barret came first. After Cloud explained himself and what had happened in the year since Deepground, he stormed out. In their AVALANCHE days, Barret would have yelled at him. Cussed him out. But now, the larger man simply regarded him with a look of pity and disappointment before leaving in his truck. Since then, he had only come back to take Marlene and Denzel out, sending in voicemails over his PHS that he was planning to do so. When Barret came, Cloud didn't protest. Still, the large man didn't spare him a glance. Cloud was fine with that. He couldn't even look in the mirror.

The day after Barret, he was helping Marlene and Denzel with their school work. It was on that rainy day that Yuffie came. Barret had told her what had happened. What Cloud had said. Seeing that Tifa truly was gone, the ninja bawled her eyes out. In trying to hand her a glass of water, Cloud had made a mistake. Yuffie pounded his chest before shoving him away and leaping through the window she had entered through. He stared blankly at that window for what felt like eternity before the children pulled him away and back to their tear stained papers, having realized that their mother-Tifa-was gone.

Last week was Cid. Coming simply out of pure concern at learning Seventh Heaven was so quiet, Cid was aghast upon seeing the sorry state of the bar and its inhabitants. Upon his friend's explanation, the pilot could only muster a short insult.

"You're a damn fool," Cid growled, lighting a cigar as he trudged out of Cloud's home.

The blonde simply nodded.

Soon after, Vincent, Reeve and Red XIII paid their own visits to the bar. They were more even tempered compared to previous visitors, the only balm to Cloud's wounded spirit. Vincent had simply nodded before leaving. Red XIII offered a simple, mournful howl and a look of sympathy before speeding off into the night. Reeve had stayed for a short while with Cait Sith to entertain the children, placing a comforting hand on the broken man's shoulder. "It'll be alright," said Reeve before he left like all the rest.

Another week passed. Things got worse. Cloud could see Denzel and Marlene growing hungry. Whatever little was left of their income was drying up. Cloud hadn't made a delivery in the month since his lover's disappearance. Now his children grew thin. They had only eaten lunch yesterday. He didn't know what else to do or who else to call. He was desperate. He thought it hopeless. Until he remembered her. She was the only person left he would trust with his kids as he dialed her number on his PHS and made the call.

"Hello?" intoned the motherly lilt of Elmyra Gainsborough with a smile he could hear. "Cloud? It's been a while."

"Hi, Elmyra," came his reply of thinly veiled weariness. "It's about Denzel and Marlene."

"Oh, yes, what about them?"

"If you're still living in Kalm, could you please take them for a week? Please…" he whispered, almost begging.

"Of course," she said. "May I ask why?"

"I just need to make a few deliveries," whispered Cloud as he remembered over forty requests made to Strife Delivery Service, over half of which were perishable goods that would expire in the next week. "Just a few."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First work here. First work ever shown to people not for a grade. I would really appreciate it if anyone who read this would leave a comment. Thank you! =)


	2. Chapter 2

When he and the children arrived at Kalm, Elmyra had a feast prepared for them. The warmth of the house and food she shared with her relatives breathed life into the beleaguered trio. For the first time in weeks, Cloud felt some sliver of happiness as the kids wolfed down most of the veritable buffet with gusto. But he could not stay and watch them smile as they enjoyed one delicacy after the other. He had to go. Rushing his dinner and leaving behind a schedule of his routes, Cloud hugged Denzel and Marlene before hurrying out the door. As he got onto his bike, the older lady pulled him into an embrace. "I don't know what happened," managed Elmyra with a sad smile. "But a mother knows hardship when she sees it. I could hear it when you spoke to me on the phone. Just make those deliveries and come back to your young ones, alright? We'll all be here."

"Thank you," he whispered. "So much."

As he slipped his goggles on and sped off into the wasteland, Cloud swore he saw a pink ribbon and dress out of the corner of his eye as he left the sleepy town behind him. "Watch over them," he pleaded to her.

He felt warmth spread through him as her silent reply. "I will," he could almost hear her say. Almost.

The week after was a blur. From one end of the planet to the next, the boy from Nibelheim slaved away as he made one delivery after the other. The first and most urgent was at the Icicle Inn and he had been late, earning only half the promised sum. He considered himself lucky as he pushed Fenrir to its limit. The second was due the day after in Cosmo Canyon. With no sleep, the man who had beaten Sephiroth had barely made the appointed time as he collected the payment from a livid tribesman. With so many packages left, Cloud forced himself to make all forty deliveries without slumber. As he gunned Fenrir down countless dirt paths, his head spun from the exhaustion. After the fourth day, his Mako enhancements and raw will were the only two things keeping him up. On the fifth, he found himself carving through monsters on the way to Rocket Town, arriving as a dirt and blood stained specter to the shock of the villagers. When the sixth day came, he was almost falling asleep on the road, narrowly missing trees and other rock formations. On the morning of the seventh was his final delivery, this time in Edge. He failed to make it as his eyes grew heavy and he careened off the road into a small ravine, losing consciousness before hitting the bottom.

Then he felt it all. Heard it all.

The pain.

The voices.

Then warmth.

Cloud woke with a start, shooting up in bed from a restless slumber. When he finally took stock of his surroundings, he realized he was back at Elmyra's house. He looked down. The source of his warmth. Denzel. Marlene. They were hugging him. A bandage around his head and his right eye. He was shirtless. His sword was gone too. Where were they? He whirled his head to the right. His shirt was bloody but on a chair. His sword was leaning against the wall. Good.

The door to his left opened and Cloud whirled around, pulling his kids close. "Oh, my," gasped Elmyra as she entered the room, eyes puffy and arms full of blankets. "He's awake!"

She rushed to the younger man and began wiping blood from his head, hands shaking all the while. The wounded courier only kept silent and held a weeping Denzel and Marlene. "How? How did you find me?"

'I didn't," whispered Elmyra, steadying her voice. "Your friend-the ninja girl-did."

"Big sis Yuffie," mumbled Marlene into his chest. "You gave us a schedule, remember?"

"Yeah and when you didn't come back, we got scared," added Denzel with a sniffle. "We called her. She didn't answer first. So we called Mr. Barret too. And Mr. Reeve."

Right then, he saw movement out of the corner of his eye and snapped his head to face his newest visitor. Before him stood a sniffling Yuffie. "Hey, blondie," she said, voice almost a whisper before taking a step forward. Then another. And another towards him. Soon, she too was embracing the blonde. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be so angry. I just missed her. So much."

With three people embracing him, Elmyra stepped back and took in the scene with a soft smile. "I'll be back with clean bandages," she said, excusing herself from an intimate moment as the wounded man could only nod his thanks to her.

When Denzel and Marlene pulled away from Cloud, they went to give Yuffie a hug too as their tears continued to flow. The kunoichi returned the gesture and looked over at the swordsman. "Why didn't you say anything?" asked the crying ninja.

"I didn't think you'd pick up," replied Cloud, his expression vacant despite the trail of tears down his cheeks. "I didn't think anybody would..."

The younger girl nodded her head. "I'm sorry. I mean it," she vowed as she lightly smacked the blue eyed man in the shoulder. "But you're right. I only picked up when Reeve called and said you were missing. Barret went looking too. Even Elena."

"The Turks?" asked Cloud, his behavior immediately becoming defensive. "Don't they still work for Rufus?"

Yuffie held her hands out, seeking to placate him. "I called her. I pickpocketed her card off her once. Didn't think I'd ever use it," mumbled the young lady with a laugh, showing some of her usual pep. "She was really mad at first when I asked her to help look for someone. But when I told her it was you, she agreed. I think Rude and Reno helped too."

"Yuffie, you know I don't trust them," hissed Cloud.

"Well, I wasn't just gonna let you die," she replied with a comedic pout, seeking to relieve some tension. "That and I finally got a side job."

"Which is?" questioned the injured man, suddenly curious.

"Aside from being the WRO's Head of Intelligence, I'm also gonna be a bartender! I trained in Wutai!" announced the spunky kunoichi, smiling as she wiped tears from her eyes. "I was gonna join some bar back home but then I realized I should just join Seventh Heaven. That way we can hang out!"

"Yuffie," deadpanned Cloud as he dried his eyes with his forearm. "You in a bar doesn't exactly sound like a good idea."

"Hey!" snapped his friend, insulted. "I'm more responsible now! No more Materia stealing from people I know."

"But I assume calling cards are fair game?"

Marlene and Denzel laughed at the irony as Yuffie stuck her tongue out at his bandaged face. "And it ended up saving your life. You should be thanking me with a job offer!"

Cloud rolled his eyes humorously. "Fine, thank you for saving my life, Yuffie."

"And?"

He groaned. "Would you like to come work at Seventh Heaven?"

"My answer is yes!" came the emphatic reply. "But there's one more thing."

"Which is?" inquired the injured, exhausted and exasperated Cloud Strife.

"I need a room! I'm gonna be living with you guys, right?"

Before he could reply, Marlene cut in with a raised hand and an excited smile. "You could share my room, Big Sis Yuffie! Oh please Cloud! My bed is big enough for two people!"

"Oh please Cloud," repeated Yuffie as a trio of puppy dog eyes fixed him.

"Really Denzel? You too?"

As his three torturers laughed, Cloud couldn't help but let a small smile grace his features. Maybe things wouldn't be so bad with Yuffie around.

So that's Part 2. Hope you all liked it. Again, please don't hesitate to leave a review. I'd like to hear your thoughts about everything so far.


	3. Chapter 3

Almost immediately after they said their thanks to Elmyra and returned to Edge, Yuffie moved in as Marlene's roommate and Seventh Heaven's new bartender. With the bar reopened, customers began to return. At first they were hesitant, unwilling to accept anyone but Tifa serving up drinks and warm meals. But Cloud knew that if anyone could win over her old regulars, it would be the excitable youngest member of AVALANCHE and the self-proclaimed Single White Rose of Wutai. Bringing exotic beverages and her own homeland's cuisine, Yuffie slowly but steadily became a hit among Edge's bargoing population.

Despite the more regular closings of Seventh Heaven due to her status as a WRO member, the young woman's popularity hadn't dimmed in the slightest. Simply put, the young men of Edge eagerly awaited the return of the fun-loving ninja. Even with the potential trouble romantic advances could have caused, Cloud wasn't too worried about Yuffie and men. After all, she'd left countless monstrosities in pieces thanks to her deadly skills during their AVALANCHE years. If anything, he almost felt sorry for any young buck that earned her ire. Nevertheless, he still made sure to keep an eye on the kunoichi, treating her as a younger sister.

Off in a corner booth, Cloud watched her cheer on several daring souls to chug down more of her nation's signature alcoholic drink. With three paying customers already unconscious, the blue eyed man was beginning to feel like he needed to step in. Especially since it was only four in the afternoon.

"Cloud," called Denzel, drawing the older man's attention. "How do you do this one? Is it right?"

He leaned over, analyzing the boy's Math homework. Beside Denzel sat Marlene, eagerly finishing her art homework with a drawing of a pretty flower. "You can do Math later! Help me with my rose!"

"It's the last one!" grumbled the scruffy haired boy. "I'll help you in a bit."

Cloud narrowed his eyes, mentally going over the calculations. "Never was good at Math. Still, I think you're right, Denzel. You can help Marlene now."

"Yes!" hollered the boy as he scooted closer to his sibling, snatching a red crayon from the several rolling on the table. "Lemme color in the petal!"

As his children focused on their art, Cloud focused on the inebriated horde of Yuffie's own creation. They had grown quieter, courtesy of Yuffie's Wutai alcohol as most found themselves shambling and drunk. Meanwhile, the rest could only watch on in wonder as the shuriken wielding woman encouraged even more poor drinkers to step up for a taste. "Who's next?! Come on you big babies!"

The blonde regarded the situation with a playful eye roll as most of the patrons began to back out of their establishment. Tripping over themselves, they all hastily exited in seemingly abject fear of the pint sized terror from Wutai. Having alcohol endlessly foisted onto them, there was only so much a mob could take before fleeing from the terror that was the young party monster. As the last of the drunks stumbled out of Seventh Heaven, Shelke and Elena made their way through the sea of disoriented bodies, groceries cradled neatly in their arms.

"Hey, you two," greeted Yuffie with a peppy jump. "Thanks for helping out around here."

"We are happy to help," came Shelke's measured tone. "The individual known as Cloud Strife is in need of assistance and has proven himself a valued ally in the past."

Elena regarded Cloud and Yuffie, both former foes of hers, with a respectful nod. "Shelke is right. And I'm glad to get away from Rude and Reno for a while."

"Oh, how are baldy and redhead?" inquired Yuffie, playfully swinging her legs as she sat on the bar counter. "Not too much trouble I hope."

"Hmph," grunted Elena. "Those two can't even cook for themselves. I always had to do it."

"Based on what little interaction I have had with the individuals known as Rude and Reno," chimed in Shelke. "I can confirm the veracity of the claims made by Elena."

"Ha," guffawed the ninja who was now busily wiping down the bar. "Boys can never cook. Shiva, even if they could, us girls would still be better at it."

Cloud, who had been listening in on the conversation, joined in. "Hey, I know my way around a kitchen. I'm not too shabby."

"Bet it tastes like Chocobo droppings," teased Yuffie while making an icky face. The image of the swordsman's horrible cooking elicited laughter from all present. "Care to prove me wrong, blondie?"

"How about now?" challenged the bladesman with a smirk, his male pride besmirched. "You guys just bought groceries. We should use them."

Yuffie's brown eyes narrowed and met Cloud's sky blue glare. "Oh, you're on."

Over the next hour, the bar became a culinary battlefield. Shelke and Elena escorted those who had passed out from Yuffie's alcoholic onslaught outside as Seventh Heaven became the proving ground for the gastronomic honor of SOLDIER and Wutai. When the dishes were laid before the judges, they all clapped in appreciation. Surprisingly enough Cloud's actually looked and smelled edible. As they sampled the delights sent forth by the competitors, it slowly became clear that only Denzel favored Cloud's dish over Yuffie's, leaving the older man slightly crestfallen.

"It's good," expressed Elena. "I just think it needs a little work."

"Affirmative," added Shelke. "The dish produced by Cloud Strife was satisfactory but not as satisfying as the dish produced by Yuffie Kisaragi."

Marlene laughed. "Yeah, it's good too Cloud. Just not as good as Tifa's-"

Upon saying her mother's name, the little girl stopped herself, causing a concerned look to immediately pass over her caretaker's face. Cloud could sense the dam break. He glanced over at Denzel and saw the same, a sullen look now painted across the faces of both children. It had been a while since she had been mentioned. "May I be excused?" mumbled Marlene as she ran up the stairs, sniffling all the while.

Cloud knew no one could ever replace Tifa. He didn't want to. But now he was afraid that they thought he was trying to. Denzel sat completely still in his chair, tears falling freely and silently. In the span of a breath, the boy had moved from his seat and was making to join Marlene upstairs.

Cloud trembled for a moment. Unsure and scared. But he rooted himself. Placing one shaky foot in front of the other, he turned to Yuffie and the girls before doing so once more.

"Go get 'em, blondie," managed Yuffie, a supportive but sad smile on her face.

"Thanks."

Searching for Denzel and Marlene, he found them exactly where he thought they'd be. Both of them sat on her bed. Before even entering Tifa's room, Cloud could hear them. See them. The sniffling. The shaky breathing. Even the way their shoulders shook with every sob. Every step he took closer to them only made his heart sink more until he finally settled on her place of slumber opposite them.

Unsure of how to act, Cloud faced away from them, speaking slowly. "Denz, Marlene, I want you to know I'm not trying to replace her."

"We know," said Denzel. "But we miss her. A whole lot."

"I do too."

"Cloud?" asked Marlene, her voice shaky. "Why haven't you and Daddy gone out for her? Maybe if you said you were really, really, really sorry, she'd come back. Or was it because of us?"

"No," Cloud hissed, feeling his chest tighten at Marlene's words. "It was never your fault. It was all mine. Still, I shouldn't go looking for her. I don't think she'd wanna see me anyway."

"But you liked Tifa right? A lot?" asked Denzel, choking back a sob. "Like the way moms and dads do? 'Cuz you're like our mom and dad."

"Yes," admitted Cloud. "I did."

"So then why did she leave? Girls and boys that like each other always stay together right? Like heroes and princesses? The hero always saves the princess and they get married," said the young lady, her childlike innocence still intact.

"Yes," answered their remaining parent. "But I didn't treat her like a mom treats a dad. Not like a princess. Tifa felt really sad because of me. I'm no hero."

"Definitely not hers," he added silently.

"But you didn't mean to make her sad, right?" You wanted to treat her like a mom and a princess?"

"I did, Denz. I did," replied Cloud, unable to hold back his own tears but keeping the tremor out of his voice. "And I'm sorry you two got caught in between us."

With that remark, Cloud moved over to them and held them both in his arms. Maybe he couldn't piece his relationship with Tifa back together. Maybe someday she'd come for them, he hoped. But for now, he'd do his best for them and whatever they needed, he'd provide.

A few days after, he would keep true to that promise. "Barret," called Cloud over his PHS, having gone straight to voicemail. "Marlene and Denzel have a school event a week from now. Two parents. Figured you'd wanna be there."

On the day itself, Barret showed up five hours early. Bursting through Seventh Heaven's doors, he swept the children up in a hug. With friendly nods to Shelke and Elena followed by a high five to Yuffie, the man with a gun arm still had one more person to acknowledge.

"Hey," grunted the larger man to the blonde one as he sipped coffee while skimming a newspaper."Listen, I gotta say I been too harsh. I know you didn't wanna-"

With a calm expression and a raised hand, Cloud cut him off. "Your apology? Not interested. I get it."

With that, renewed respect grew between the two men. Barret took a seat at the bar and ordered some Corel wine. Cloud obliged, pouring the man a drink before returning to his caffeine and news, allowing a companionable silence to take over.

When the time came for the function, the five pulled up to the school in Barret's truck. Even though only two parents were allowed, Yuffie had insisted on coming along as she led her two youthful compatriots into their place of learning.

"Think we don't look too weird?" asked Barret, adjusting his dress shirt and slacks, both oddly small on his monolithic frame.

"You have a gun for an arm. Look at my hair. We're already weird," deadpanned Cloud as he strode into the school, seeing Barret's sudden concern over their collective appearance as unnecessary but humorous.

"Well, damn, ain't no way to argue with that," conceded the former AVALANCHE leader as he followed the four.

The affair itself was a tour of the school followed by dinner with all parents, students and staff. Rather pedestrian, its true highlight was the speech by Reeve Tuesti, Commissioner of the World Regenesis Organization. He enjoined the children and their parents to seize their futures in a brave new world, a sentiment met with cheers and clapping. When the applause finally died down, the Commissioner was free to mingle and was approached by a man with a mop of spiky blonde hair.

"Oh and who might you be?" asked Reeve.

"Cloud Strife," came the blonde man's reply.

"Oh, Mr. Strife to what do I owe the honor?"

Cloud smirked. "For cancelling your speech. The event date was moved a week. I made those extra deliveries to Junon and Nibelheim thanks to you."

"Cloud," intoned Reeve. "You've been doing your best for those children. I'm glad to help. As a matter of fact, I might have a job for you."

"I told you before. I'm not working for the WRO," spoke the younger man in clipped tones as his expression momentarily stiffened.

"Nothing of the sort. Just a little freelancer work. Can't have too many monsters prowling our roads now, can we? I think you could help us clean them up."

Cloud paused.

"I'll think about it."

"Excellent. Here's my card, Mr. Strife." After unnecessarily leaving his card in his friend's pocket as a businessman's formality, the WRO Commissioner set off to mingle some more.

When they returned home that night, Barret decided to stay for the evening considering how late it already was. With the larger man settled into his office, Cloud decided to room with Denzel. Ready for bed, he was surprised to see his son still awake and scribbling away. "What's that, Denzel?"

"Uh, Cloud," mumbled the brown haired boy. "N-nothing. J-just homework."

"Doesn't look like it. Denz, it's alright. You can talk to me about anything."

Denzel paused before speaking, obviously nervous. "There's this girl. She has a moogle doll. Remember her? Some of the other kids think it's dorky. But I think it's cute. And I always talk to her by the swing in the park. She's nice to talk to. And she's really pretty so…" trailed the blushing boy. "It's a love letter. But I dunno how to confess. I've never liked a girl before. Does it have to be a letter?"

"Hm, maybe I can help," offered the older man. Pulling his paper from the nightstand beside the bed, he examined the weather forecast for the following week. "It'll be good on Monday. Sky'll be clear. Real starry too."

"What's so great about Monday? And stars?" asked Denzel.

"Starry skies are great for telling a girl you like her," said Cloud with a hint of sadness.

Monday came and on that fair-weathered day, he was helping Denzel practice what he was going to say to the Moogle Girl that had captured his heart. Steo by step, the lovestruck brown haired boy's speech came together. First was the confession. He liked her. Then he'd say what he liked about her. Denzel enjoyed the fact that she was "real nice and pretty". Finally, a promise to her as per Cloud's contribution to his confession. To always help her find her adorable moogle doll? That he'd always like her? Unable to decide on one worthy of his boyhood crush, the exasperated young man would have to figure that out on his own.

"Hey, Cloud, how do you know how to do this? Like, under the stars and stuff?"

Sipping coffee, the man in question merely said, "Experience."

"But what if she doesn't like me? Or y'know kiss me?"

Regarding his son with a quirked eyebrow, the blue eyed swordsman coolly answered. "Denz, you're too young to be thinking about kisses. Just tell her how you feel."

With that came another rehearsal and soon after the boy was off to see the girl of his dreams while Cloud made a short delivery to Kalm. Almost two hours after leaving, the courier was back at Seventh Heaven. Putting the kickstand down, he was ready for a night of hearing Denzel's story when he heard Yuffie and Marlene scream. Rushing into the bar with his blade drawn, the swordsman was ready for a fight until he saw the cause for the excitement. Draped in his flowing red cloak and with his revolver at his side, Vincent Valentine was awkwardly returning the young ninja's hug.

"Oh, Vincent, you're actually hugging back now," chirped Yuffie happily. "Marlene, did you see that?"

"I did, I did!" confirmed the excited little girl.

In response, Vincent merely nodded at the two ladies before turning to greet the other man. "Cloud."

"Vincent," acknowledged the blonde. "Been a while. What brings you here?"

"Just visiting. And something else. Can we speak alone?" asked the man in red.

"Sure," responded Cloud with some hesitation, knowing that his cloaked comrade only spoke in private when matters were serious. "Yuffie, bring Marlene upstairs. Has Denzel come back yet?"

"Nope, nope," came Yuffie's reply. "He told me he was going to the park for a bit with his friends."

"Alright," spoke Cloud with a knowing quirk of his lips. Now alone, the men settled on opposite sides of the bar. "Drink, Vincent?"

Vincent simply waved his hand in refusal. "Nanaki and I will be meeting tomorrow evening in the ruins of Midgar. We wanted to invite you."

Pouring himself a cup of coffee, Cloud was surprised by the the invite. "That's new. Any special reason?"

"Nothing too serious. Just a few things to talk about."

The blue eyed rider considered the meaning behind his friend's words before replying. "I'll be there. Time and place?"

The taller man nodded and stood up to leave. "The top of the Shinra Building. Nine in the evening."

As the gunslinger walked towards the door, it flew open as Denzel walked in with a shy but undeniably happy grin on his face.

"Denzel," called Cloud, the young man's sudden entrance having drawn his attention. "You alright?"

"Huh?" mumbled the youth, obviously distracted. "Oh, yeah, things went great by the way. Just got a little bit of dirt on my face at the park."

The blonde smirked while sipping on his coffee, noticing how the dirt on Denzel's cheek looked suspiciously like pink lip gloss. "Good for you, Denz."

As his son made his way up the stairs, Cloud turned to where Vincent had been standing mere moments ago. The space was empty, leaving the swordsman to finish his coffee in silence as he made a mental note of his meeting tomorrow night.

Longer chapter this time. This story is divided into three parts, each with four chapters. We're almost at the end of the first portion. So with that in mind, please leave a comment, good or bad! =)


	4. Chapter 4

Atop the old Shinra building, two figures stood together. The tall one spoke first. "Good to see you."

"You as well," said the four legged form. "He has agreed to join us?"

"Yes. He should be here any minute now."

"Hey," came a third voice, its owner making his way over the edge of the derelict structure. "What's this about?"

"Nothing of great import," replied Red XIII, better known as Nanaki. "Merely a meeting for the long lived members of our circle of friends."

"How so?" asked the newcomer.

"Nanaki's species lives for centuries, Cloud," came the towering man's reply. "A normal human life is like seconds to them."

"And Vincent is…" paused the fiery creature. "Our friend is immortal. Hojo's vile experiments saw to that. He will not age. He will not die."

"And me? Will I live long? Is that why you called me here?"

Vincent and Red XIII shared a look before the gunman decided to speak first. "Cloud, have you been feeling strange lately?"

"Not particularly. Why?"

"From the way our friends describe it," chimed in the feline-wolf hybrid. "It was a week without sleep before you collapsed from exhaustion."

"Even for a SOLDIER, that's unusual." Vincent's tone had begun to turn grim. "I believe it might be the infusion of Jenova's cells into your body."

"What makes you say that?" asked the SOLDIER, now somewhat scared of his abilities. "What did you learn?"

"We noticed unsettling things about Sephiroth during your last battle two years ago," spoke the guardian of Cosmo Canyon with an anxious whip of his flaming tail. "We were unsure of how to tell you. But he was inhuman. More so than when he fell during our clash at North Crater. Your accident compelled us to inform you of our theory."

"Sephiroth…" trailed the red garbed gunslinger. "He didn't breath. Didn't blink. Didn't sweat."

"Our foe had a scent. Blood. Sweat. Metal. But those aromas did not linger in the slightest after your last battle. I could not hear him breath or see his eyes close once even from afar. I informed Vincent after and upon sharing our knowledge," paused Red XIII before continuing. "We remembered your ordeal at Hojo's hands. How he intended for you to be a copy of Sephiroth. It is mere speculation on our part but with our understanding of your exposure to large amounts of Mako energy…"

"You think I could end up like Sephiroth," concluded Cloud grimly.

Vincent considered the younger man for a moment, noting his growing sadness at the news. "Possibly," began the specter-like figure. "But somehow, I feel... optimistic."

"How?" inquired the swordsman. He realized it now. It all fit. It was how he had endured Sephiroth's blows. A gunshot to the head from the Remnants. Those wounds would have fatally injured almost any other SOLDIER. Then came a week of arduous physical work. Red XIII and Vincent made sense. He wasn't just sturdier. He was undying. The Mako in his veins and Jenova's influence in his cells allowed him to heal. From scars. Broken bones. Even the ravages of time. His family and friends would grow old. But him? He would remain. To watch them wither. To watch them pass. Denzel. Marlene. Even Tifa.

"Cloud," Vincent began. "We're not sure if you're like us. But if Hojo's experiments have indeed extended your life span, then the three of us share something: time."

"He is right," agreed Red XIII with a small smile. "There is still much sorrow in our world. Our long lives, if Vincent and I are correct, have given us the chance to ease some of it."

Vincent nodded slowly. "For a long time, I was weighed down by my sins. I had no way to find atonement. Even now, I don't think I ever will. But after Deepground…" trailed the caped figure before continuing. "I realized how our strength could be used to protect the planet. Our home. To stop more sins from coming into this world."

Hearing those words, Cloud looked up at the older man, observing a spark in the former Turk's face he'd never seen before. Vincent's face remained expressionless but he could see the change. His features were just a bit less grim. Just a bit less lost. And maybe, just maybe, a bit more hopeful.

"I feel the monster inside me, Cloud," began Vincent. "But this curse is my power now. Mine. The same way your enhancements are yours."

"Heh, that's the most you've ever spoken," replied Cloud with a smirk. "You're not the same Vincent we found, are you?"

"No. No, I'm not."

The three then shared a long silence, looking up at the stars and the city below them with Edge off in the distance. Red XIII broke the quiet with a howl and spoke. "My grandfather, Bugenhagen, was a wise man. But for all his knowledge and years, he admitted in private that he put no effort in trying to predict the future."

"Why do you think, Nanaki?" inquired the blonde, sitting at the edge of the old Shinra helicopter pad.

Red XIII smiled. "Exactly because he was a wise man. Rather than predicting it, he prepared for it. He prepared me as well. He cared for me. Loved me. And now I share that love with my mate and our pups. So that they will be prepared for their future as well. I would be overjoyed to have them meet you all one day."

The two other men nodded their silent agreement at the prospect. "That is also why I am glad our circle still exists," began the proud father and husband once more. "Whether or not it is to be us three in the years to come, I would like to see you both again. I have heard that when menfolk spend time away from their women, they find it most enjoyable."

Cloud allowed himself a half smile at that remark. "It is. But I think I have to get back now. My family's still waiting."

"Of course, Cloud," replied Red XIII. "Thank you for joining us. We will be here next year. Your presence would be a welcome one."

"Thanks Nanaki," said the black clad warrior, giving his friend a small but kind quirk of his lips in return for the offer. "Vincent."

Their eyes met, an understanding made between two men who had yet to leave behind the weight of sins past.

"Thank you."

Vincent merely nodded respectfully as the blonde vanished over the side of the old Shinra building.

When Cloud returned to the bar, he was surprised to see Barret sitting at the counter. As Yuffie animatedly told him about her day while she poured him another flagon of Corel wine, he greeted the larger man with a hand on his shoulder.

Barret immediately grew tense. "H-hey, Spiky," stammered the normally outspoken gunner. "G-good to see ya but I gotta go now."

Leaving behind his almost full flagon, Barret hastily made for the door, mysteriously meek. Cloud knew that there was only one reason for the tough figure's sudden nervousness. "Barret," called the blue eyed bladesman.

The dark skinned man stopped dead in his tracks. "Yeah?"

"Is she happy?" asked Cloud, feeling a tightness in his chest as he thought of how deeply his aloofness had hurt her. Wherever she was, Tifa Lockhart deserved happiness after all he had put her through.

"She is," came the almost meek reply of AVALANCHE's former leader as he readied to ask the delivery boy a single, burning question. "Wanted to ask if she could take the kids for a vacation. Explain to 'em. They'll be back. She ain't takin' them or nothin'."

Cloud stood pensively, arms crossed over his chest as he looked over at Yuffie, not knowing what to say. The girl from Wutai shrugged her shoulders and simply gave him a reassuring smile filled with her usual infectious energy. Rolling his eyes playfully, he replied. "Definitely. They missed her a lot."

"Then I'm coming with the kids!" cried Yuffie. "Girls night! Girls night!"

Barret turned, regarding the blonde with a look of surprise and relief. "You really ain't the same are ya, Spiky?"

Cloud's expression remained calm. "No. No, I'm not."

Who was he to deny her from seeing her children? To Cloud, she had even more claim to them than he did.

As Barret and Yuffie spoke to the kids in their room, he could hear Denzel and Marlene's excited chatter. Letting a quiet smile spread across his face as he sat in his office, Cloud felt only elation for them as he heard their cheers of joy. It had been months since they'd seen her and needless to say, they were more than ready to be with her again. He had been right. Tifa had returned for her son and daughter. But him? He had been right again. She hadn't thought of him at all. Not even a simple message. He could have asked his two friends about her. Where she had been. What she had been doing. But he didn't. After all, she was happy. With a pain he felt to his very core, a heartbroken Cloud Strife turned in for the evening. Leaving his office for another dreamless slumber in the bed they once shared, he simply stared at the empty space beside him until sleep overcame him.

On the day of their departure, Yuffie became concerned about Seventh Heaven's upkeep. Cloud simply told her he'd close the bar for as long she was gone. Her fears assuaged, Yuffie and her two new younger siblings gave him a warm hug as they loaded into Barret's truck. Waving at them from the sidewalk, he decided to take a trip of his own. Making his way into his office, the blonde pulled the card from his desk drawer. On it, in fancy lettering, was a familiar name.

Reeve Tuesti

Commissioner of the World Regenesis Organization

Cloud didn't need the card or the contact information. He already had the man's number. Nevertheless, he understood that his friend would always be a suit-and-tie executive. He smirked to himself as it dawned on him that Reeve could never give up his ways as a businessman. It was then that the swordsman realized that he was making the call because he could never give up his own ways. Even if it was just in name, he was still a SOLDIER.

More than that, he had the strength to protect his home.

End of part one of this story. Hope you'll keep reading for the next two parts. Please leave a review and thank you for the read!


	5. Chapter 5

"Sorry I haven't been around lately," apologized Cloud Strife, speaking to the spirit behind him.

"Ah, no need," replied the black haired specter. "I think you've been pretty busy."

"That's because you and I are backwater experts. Sitting at home wouldn't be good for us."

"You're right," agreed Zack Fair, smiling proudly at his friend's remark. "Glad you remembered. So what brings you here?"

"I got a new job. I think you'd find it pretty cool," spoke the blonde man. "I'm not just a delivery boy anymore."

"Oh, you're a first class delivery boy now?" teased Zack as he turned to look at his silent friend. "No? Something cool, huh? What? You hunt monsters?"

Cloud smirked.

"No way!" exclaimed the spirit. "Oh, that's awesome! I'm actually kinda jealous."

"I didn't make SOLDIER First Class but I did make monster hunter," replied Cloud with some pride.

"You did, you did," conceded Zack with a light-hearted tone before becoming serious. "Cloud, you haven't forgotten right? It might not be official but still..."

Cloud stood from his seat atop a large rock in the chapel. "No. I have to embrace my dreams," declared Cloud, holding the First Sword up proudly. "And no matter what happens, I have to protect my honor as SOLDIER. I'm still your living legacy, after all."

Zack laughed. "There we are! You make a pretty good living legacy! Now go get 'em!"

Head held high, the SOLDIER mentally recited the details of his first monster contract under Reeve's employ as he left Aerith's chapel. At the threshold, he was stopped by a fragrant breeze. A sudden warmth on his cheek left him blushing as he knew she was there.

"That was for good luck," he heard Aerith say, cheering him on with her boundless enthusiasm. "We'll be waiting here, alright? So come back safely!"

Gunning Fenrir down the road and into the wilderness, Cloud let the corners of his lips quirk upwards as he felt Zack glaring petulantly at him. He knew that the flirty SOLDIER was not pleased that his equally flirty girlfriend had given another man a warm kiss on the cheek. As his thoughts turned from the spirits of his friends, Cloud could feel his blood grow hot as he relished the thrill of the hunt.

On another continent, a Vlakorados roared as it trampled its way into the human settlement. Far larger and more powerful than other members of its species, the scholars of Bone Village had pleaded with the WRO to help them get rid of the forest's new apex predator. With five of their colleagues already having served as a feast for the creature, they were beyond desperate as it began another rampage in the home of the poor excavators.

The beast whipped its tail around, sending a poor girl flying. Slamming into the soil, the impact left her boneless as she saw a terrifying form close in. Shutting her eyes, she awaited the agonizing tear of its fangs. Instead, she was surprised to feel warmth rain down on her arms. Forcing herself to look around her, she saw the predatory reptile reel back as its blood had been spilled by a black clad form swinging a blade.

Adjusting her glasses, she saw the form to be a man. Wielding a greatsword, her savior tore into the Vlakorados with fast, precise cuts before leaping out of its way. As the monster rushed the swordsman, he ducked beneath its teeth with a spin and cut through its legs. The beast toppled, roaring in pain as the man buried his blade in its neck. Withdrawing his weapon from its corpse while seeing her on the ground, he walked up to her.

Offering her his gloved hand, she took it, noting its warmth as she felt her cheeks redden. "Are you okay, miss?"

Returning to her feet, she finally got a proper look at the face of the man who saved her. Her cheeks only turned redder. Perfect blue eyes with a soulful gaze. Princely features framed by blonde bangs. Turning her gaze away from his face, her vision only fell to the rest of him. Taking in his toned physique with a shockingly lascivious eye, she wanted to feel-

"Miss?" asked the man, interrupting her fantasy. "Are you okay? Your face seems red."

"Y-yes, definitely, totally," managed the bookish young lady, blushing furiously. In her twenty years, she had never believed in love at first sight. But with this handsome, heroic figure before her?

"I'm Cloud," he whispered hesitantly with a minute but charming smile, melting her heart. "And you are?"

She could only give a longing sigh in response.

Leaving behind Bone Village and what he thought to be a mute girl, Cloud's next foe was a dragon in the facsimile of his childhood town. Having forced it down from its mountain abode atop Mt. Nibel and onto the plains, the SOLDIER's battle with his fiery foe had driven the townspeople back into their homes.

Except one. Unbeknownst to the two titans, a young boy had followed them onto the grasslands. Watching from afar behind the relative safety of a boulder, he could not help but be enamored by the clash as he saw a real-life superhero battle a dragon. Through his binoculars, he saw his hero dodge bursts of flame. A slash. A stab. Then a twirl. The hero was winning. He wasn't surprised. Good guys always won.

Shearing through its wings, Cloud leapt away from the dragon's breath as it set ablaze another patch of grass. He could see it slow down. Its fire was no longer a raging inferno. Its claws were becoming sluggish and heavy. He simply needed to wait for the right moment. Cutting right below its now ruined wings, he jumped back as the dragon roared. Raising its head and claws, the winged beast sent out another burst of flame, leaving its stomach vulnerable to attack.

Perfect.

Seizing the opportunity, the bladesman focused his mind and body. Sending his swords out in a ray around the beast, he glowed with energy and dashed into the air to avoid the blaze. Snatching up his weapons one after the other, the blonde swordsman opened his foe's guts with rapid slashes from every direction. Its body jerked on the final cut before falling dead, innards spilling out as his deadly implements planted themselves in the grass around him. He then set about gathering his blades, pleased with the results of his work.

Making his way back to Nibelheim, Cloud was greeted by its thankful inhabitants over the roar of Fenrir's engine. Before speeding away, he noticed a boy with binoculars staring slack jawed at him. Around Denzel's age, he simply regarded the child with a friendly nod and a two fingered salute before leaving the town in his rear-view mirror astride Fenrir.

"So cool," mumbled the boy to himself as his new idol left the scene of his latest battle against the forces of evil.

Soon after, the SOLDIER had set off on another hunt much closer to home. Dashing across the plains on on his motorbike, he had lured away a large pack of nearly fifty Kalm Fangs from the town. Now they chased him as he wove from side to side, cutting down the pack's number every time they missed and came in reach of his swords. When less than half were left, the bladesman sent Fenrir into a spin, kicking up dust as the hounds lunged at him. Cloud leapt to meet them with a sword in both hands, whirling and twisting as he felled his prey with unmatched power and grace. The wolves were dead before hitting the ground, not a single one having seen the slash that had ended its life. With a final sweep of his weapons, the Mako infused warrior's onslaught ceased as he landed beside his bike, shouldering the First Sword. With only stragglers left, he sent them flying with a mighty swing, sending out a deadly gust of wind that buffeted and tore through what remained of the pack.

Returning home to Seventh Heaven, he settled in for the night, quietly observing Marlene and Denzel. Their laughter filled his heart with warmth as he watched them a rowdy evening with their three Big Sisters as they had taken to calling Elena, Shelke and Yuffie. Despite the rest, new requests from Reeve kept coming in. Between hunts, deliveries and the kids, Cloud was feeling tired. But he didn't mind. For the first time in nearly half a year, he wasn't missing anyone.

Part 5 and the first chapter of the second portion of this story. Hope you enjoyed it! Please don't hesitate to leave a review! =)


	6. Chapter 6

"Cloud," began the well-dressed man. "I'm almost disappointed you don't actually work for the WRO."

As he took his seat across from Reeve, Cloud replied. "I told you already. Not intere-"

"Not interested, I know," interrupted the executive with a drawl as he continued to type away at his computer. The Commissioner of the WRO had called his old friend over to his office at the headquarters of the World Regenesis Organization. Thankfully, the stoic warrior had responded. "But do you know how famous you've become?"

A bewildered look took over the blonde's normally serious features. "How famous could I be? I just hunt monsters."

"And in doing so, you've become Gaia's newest celebrity. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to get quality news of you on your contracts?"

"No," came Cloud's soft reply. "But how hard can it be? I've been on some pretty big ones."

"Oh it's not tracking you down that we have a problem with, Cloud," stated Reeve with a sly glint in his eye before tasting his coffee. "You know what we've done. First came the housing. Then the schools and public works. Now its broadcast and communication. It's just that ever since the WRO set up broadcast networks, cable news has been on the rise. And cable news covers everything. Even your exploits. Or it would if the news teams didn't have certain problems wherever you showed up."

Reeve immediately stopped typing and turned his computer monitor over to face friend. On it was a newscaster at the site of the new hero's latest hunt. The poor man was barely audible as a crowd mobbed him, screaming for Cloud Strife. Men cheered and sang his praises. Women screamed his name and some even cried hysterically. With a button press from Reeve, another news network appeared. This time, it showed an anchor conducting an analysis on him, identifying him as a mysterious hero the public was clamoring for.

"How'd they figure out my name?" asked the SOLDIER, aghast at his sudden celebrity status. "You didn't plan this did you?"

With a humorous roll of his eyes, Reeve replied. "Listen, not even old "Gya-ha-ha" and "Kya-ha-ha" could've planned this. It's all you. But I wouldn't say the WRO is entirely guilt free."

Sky blue eyes narrowed. "What did you do, Reeve?"

"Directly? Nothing. But indirectly?" said the WRO Commissioner with a tired groan. "Everything. With the WRO's resources, we set up improved telecom networks. Video sharing. Social media. You don't even need someone's number to call them anymore, Cloud. All it takes is a message on a computer or phone."

"What does that have to do with this?" asked the spiky haired SOLDIER, arms crossed. If they knew where he lived or his name, that meant his little ones could be in trouble. "That's all I wanna know."

Noting the edge in the other man's voice, Reeve quickly began his explanation. "People have been commenting on videos of you. I can't count the number of times I've seen you on my news feed over the past few weeks."

"What have they been saying?" came Cloud's question, his curiosity and paranoia both rising. "Nothing about Denzel and Marlene right?"

"Nope, they're safe. You on the other hand…" trailed the older man. "Let me see..."

Over the next five minutes, Cloud wished he could disappear. Embarrassed, he heard but a few of the comments people had made about him online which Reeve read aloud. Comments such as:

"hey aint that the guy from 7th heaven? here in edge? cloud?"

"This guy is overcompensating with those swords"

"he single?"

'"the virgin genesis vs the chad cloud"

"Saw this guy at the Golden Saucer once like 4 years ago I thought he was an actor"

"this guy a furry or wut? he likes wolves wayyy to much lol"

"to all d gurlz, sephiroth v dis guy = length v girth huehuehhuehue"

"GET YOUR ENLARGEMENT SUPPLEMENTS for only 10 gil. Order today and receive an extra bottle for free!"

Head in his hands, the swordsman wished Reeve would stop reciting more shameful statements from Gaia's new virtual community. Thankfully, the WRO Commissioner chose to alternate between typing and chuckling at even more online remarks. "That last one was in no way related. It simply amused me."

As the younger man looked up at him, Reeve was surprised to see confusion instead of mortification. "Oh, are you okay?"

With his eyebrows knitted in deep thought, Cloud asked only one question: "What do they mean by length and girth?"

In the middle of a sip, Reeve almost choked on his coffee. Coughing, he stared wide eyed at the blonde man. "You can't be serious."

"What?"

"Cloud, have you never been with a woman?"

The newly minted hero scrunched his face in thought before slowly replying. "I mean I was raised by my mom. Aerith and Elmyra were our friends. Still are. Yuffie too. Marlene's like a daughter. Elena and Shelke help out around the bar."

"That's not what I mean."

After a few seconds, realization hit the blue eyed warrior like Meteor. "Oh, uh, I mean j-just once," sputtered Cloud, longingly remembering a certain evening beneath Cid's airship with a shapely bruiser.

"Just her?" asked Reeve, quick on the uptake. "Really?"

The quiet bladesman nodded shyly. "Just her."

After a short silence, Reeve cleared his throat. "Well, enough of that. You must be wondering why I called you here. I mean, aside from informing you of your newfound celebrity status."

"Contract," said Cloud, once more becoming the confident SOLDIER. "Where to?"

As the details of the mission were discussed, Reeve smiled. The ex-Shinra executive couldn't help but be glad. His friend had finally found some semblance of his old self from their days as rebels. As he sent his sword-wielding comrade on his way, Reeve felt a pang of pity for the man. He knew Cloud had made mistakes. He just wished he didn't have to pay so dearly for every one of them.

"Some women wouldn't mind their own dashing hero," he called as Cloud left his office, hoping to add some light hearted humor to the conversation after the contract had been accepted.

"I know," spoke Gaia's new man of the hour with a touch of grief, knowing he had already failed one woman as her hero.

Hours after his latest hunt, Cloud was steering Fenrir through Edge's crowded streets. As he took in the cityscape, he noticed people staring at him. Some pointed. Some even waved. He hadn't responded to any of them as he finally pulled into the Seventh Heaven driveway. Entering his home, he was greeted by an empty bar and a groaning Yuffie.

"You alright?" he asked, noting Yuffie's bored expression.

"Now that you're back? No," she grunted before groaning even louder. "No one's come in all day because of you."

"But I've been out," replied the blonde defensively. "How is this my fault?"

"Your adoring public," mocked the ninja. As she said that, elated screams could be heard outside. The shinobi rushed over to the windows, flipping the blinds open before immediately closing them again. "Bahamut damn it, they're back already?! I got them to leave earlier!"

Though the blinds had opened only for a brief moment, Cloud had seen them. A horde of them. Screaming fangirls. Reeve was right. He had become a celebrity. How did they know he had returned? His bike. They had seen Fenrir. If he had become a household name then his prized motorcycle had become one as well. "Need to lock the garage during the day from now on," thought the bladesman.

As the joyous screams grew louder, Marlene bounded down the stairs with a stack of colored papers in her arms. "Cloud, you're here," she cheered as she gave her second father a hug. "I knew if downstairs was noisy, you'd be back!"

Leading her to sit at a booth, he regarded her with a quiet smile. "Well, at least you know I'm here. What are these?"

Marlene handed him the various sheets in her grip as she sat across from the darkly dressed SOLDIER. To his shock, Cloud realized they were all love letters. "These are from girls," commented his daughter with an innocent laugh. "I think they all like-like you."

"I think they do too," chuckled Cloud. Leafing through them, he was glad to see they were all innocent. Except for one that the blonde quickly threw in the trash, preventing the little girl from even glimpsing what he had just held.

"Cloud, are you okay?" asked Marlene, concerned for Cloud. "What was that?"

The young parent would never tell his child about the racy photo her surprisingly attractive teacher had sent him. "Nothing at all. Where's Denzel?"

"Out back with Shelke and Elena," responded Yuffie, pouting at the mob despite the blinds being closed. "These girls scare away everybody. No wonder no one came in today."

"Maybe we should check in on Denzel, then," offered Cloud, hoping to brighten the usually energetic kunoichi's mood.

"Alright then," the princess of Wutai acquiesced, immediately regaining her cheerful demeanor. As they made their way into 7th Heaven's small backyard, they were greeted by the sound of Elena barking orders.

"Hands up," commanded the Turk. "Don't leave your head vulnerable."

Denzel held up a wooden practice sword, his stance slightly wobbly as he took light blows from the woman. Seeing this, Shelke immediately chimed in. "Denzel, I would immediately advise widening your stance for increased stability."

"Loosen up a bit too," added Cloud with a smirk. "You're stiff, Denz. Can't take a strike like that. It'll just hurt even more."

Obviously enjoying the scene, Yuffie immediately joined in. "Lemme help Denzel too," she chirped as she picked up her own practice blade. Forming an alliance with the young man to beat Elena, the WRO's "responsible" Head of Intelligence playfully rushed the Turk down with the help of her newest ally. As Marlene cheered happily and Shelke watched with a gentle smile, Cloud decided to leave them to their fun. Heading back into the bar, he couldn't help but imagine a smiling, long haired brunette teaching Denzel to fight with his fists instead of a blade.

"She should be the one teaching him," Cloud thought ruefully as he went over his delivery and hunting routes in solitude, feeling a regretful knot in his chest grow without a lovely martial artist at his side.

Halfway mark! My thanks for reading! =) Reviews are always appreciated!


	7. Chapter 7

"Shera!" yelled a gruff voice. "You alright?!"

"Ship's taken some hits but she'll hold, Cid," replied his wife from the other end of his PHS. "Watch its tail! It's larger than a normal Zolom!"

"No kidding! Damn it all! Hey, Strife, kill that big ass snake already," demanded Cid Highwind.

"Working on it," growled Cloud as he maneuvered Fenrir around the Zolom's tail swipe. "How'd this thing even get here?"

As the swordsman drew the serpent's attention, Cid launched another dynamite stick at it. "Reeve mentioned some black market, wildlife trade crap near Rocket Town! Guess he wasn't crazy after all!"

As the dynamite blew off a chunk of its tail, the wounded Zolom hissed. Turning itself away from more elusive prey, it immediately spotted the explosive-lobbing spearman crouched behind a rock.

It closed in on Cid, revealing its true size as it slithered its massive form ever closer and lunged at the pilot over the rock. Dodging out of the way, he planted his spear into its eye, leaving the creature thrashing in pain. With his weapon lodged too deep into its flesh, Cid was forced to let his weapon go as the largest Zolom he had ever seen turned towards him. However, before it could even make a move, the area around its head exploded in a hail of missile fire as Cid leapt back.

The pilot laughed, relieved as his airship passed overhead. "Thanks, darlin'!" he yelled to his wife aboard the very aircraft named after her. With the Zolom motionless, the Shera descended to retrieve the duo. Hopping off the rock on Fenrir, the blonde rider saw the dead Zolom and greeted Cid with a satisfied smirk that the gruff man returned.

As Cid reached for the lowered rope ladder, he heard a hiss as a titanic shadow passed overhead. Still very much alive, the oversized beast had bitten straight through the Shera's armor. With its fangs firmly implanted in the aircraft's hull, the serpent twisted and flung the aircraft to the side. Both far too tired and shocked to move, Cid and Cloud could only watch as the damaged ship careened hundreds of feet away, too wrecked to stay airborne.

"You oversized excuse fer' a pair o' boots!" cursed the spear-wielding man as he flung his last stick of dynamite at it, thinking only of his revenge on the monstrosity for the lives of his wife and crew. "Just stay the hell down and eat yer' goddamned dynamite!"

Wise to the human's ways, the Zolom deftly avoided the explosive and lunged at his prey, fangs bared. Cid yelled in anguish as the snake bore down on him. Ready for his demise, he was shocked to see the titanic reptile's head suddenly jerk sideways as a riderless black and gold motorbike slammed into the serpent. The pilot turned to the side, wondering what had happened to his friend. To his relief, standing between the the reptile and the distant airship was a battered Cloud. "Cid, get to the Shera. I'll handle this."

"Are you a friggin' dumbass, Strife?" growled Cid as he limped to the younger man's side while the Zolom shook off the blow. "You think I'm just gonna leave you to face this thing? I ain't no coward!"

"Go," replied Cloud without even looking at him, a look of calm determination on his face despite the danger. "Take care of your wife."

Unable to argue, the spearman left and began sprinting towards what he hoped was not his beloved's final resting place. As he ran, he tried not to focus on the sound of battle between man and beast behind him. "Better not die, Strife. Better not die."

With Cid's back turned to the fight, Cloud did everything he could to keep the hulking reptile's attention. Countless marks from deadly cuts and slashes marked its body. But for every attack he made, the Zolom left its own wounds as he felt more bruises and bite marks blight his form. Its skin too thick, Cloud could think of no way to seriously wound his foe as it lunged for him once more. Even then, he knew he would not fall here. Concentrating solely on matching the monster's ferocity, he vowed to come home to Seventh Heaven.

For Cid, he tried not to think of the guilt. He knew he was leaving the SOLDIER to battle an absolute monster. Despite the bleakness of their situation, the gruff man knew that it would take more than a snake to kill Cloud. Taking solace in that fact, he made his way up the downed ship's ladder. Relieved to learn the crew had suffered no casualties, he woke his wife on the bridge. Awakening up at his touch, Shera immediately hugged him before seeing the still living Zolom in the distance. It's conflict with Mako enhanced warrior visible from the viewport, the bespectacled scientist frantically attempted to stand even as her husband held her down.

"Cid, we have to help him!" she pleaded.

"No, Shera, we're in no shape to do anythin' for him," whispered her love, his voice trembling. "He said he'd take care of it. He's beaten Sephiroth three times. The boy's got this one."

Even with that reassurance, Shera could still feel herself tremble at the prospect of leaving their friend to fight alone.

With his breath short and limbs like lead, Cloud was desperate for a way to end this fight. Despite having drawn its blood dozens of times, the Zolom had barely slowed down. Still, he knew he could win. He could beat this thing. It would only take a single hole in its defenses. Batting away the wretched monster's fangs and tail, he saw one as it reeled back: a seeping wound from the shrapnel of the Shera's missiles on its underbelly. Cloud knew how he was going to beat his newest foe. But he needed it to look up.

Leaping over to his downed bike, he picked one of the Fusion Swords from its side and flung it at his enemy. The blade struck home, lodging itself firmly in between the Zolom's eyes. As it drew back hurt, it heaved upwards, exposing its gaping scar. Seizing his chance, Cloud shot forward. Blade glowing a brilliant blue, he drove the First Sword home into the gushing lesion. The horror twitched in agony, the already serious injury becoming fatal. Striking the killing blow, the swordsman then shot upwards, cleaving his foe in half as he drew his weapon across its bloodied form.

Landing in a crouch, he proceeded to collapse onto his back. Eyes closed, Cloud was surprised to find that he was far from fatigued. Instead, all he felt was a dull ache in his muscles. It was as if he had gone for a light jog instead of killing a terrifying monster. Choosing to stand, he retrieved his thrown weapon and Cid's spear from the Zolom's eviscerated corpse and righted the damaged Fenrir. Riding off to the Shera, the monster slayer hoped to find his friends alive.

As he got closer, a familiar woman in glasses and a lab coat greeted him warmly. "Cloud, it's good to see you in one piece!"

"Thanks, Shera," replied the blonde with a shy smile.

"That the best you got? Like you didn't just kill a friggin' Zolom all by 'yer lonesome!" exclaimed Cid as the SOLDIER passed him his weapon.

"Sorry," murmured Cloud, eyes pointed downwards. Out of the three members of AVALANCHE who had scolded him upon Tifa's disappearance nearly one year ago, it was only Cid who had continued his harshness towards him. "I'll be going."

"No," protested Shera before the bladesman could ride away while she fixed her husband with a glare. "You are staying and having tea with us."

Seeing the determination in her, Cid and Cloud both conceded as they and the crew made the short trek back to Rocket Town. Returning to their home, Shera led her bloodied friend to the bathroom, leaving him to clean himself up as she brewed tea. Seated near her at a table, her husband quickly made calls for repairs to his ship. It was then that the SOLDIER decided he was done fixing himself up. The blonde then wiped a towel over his features before rejoining the married couple.

"Hey, look at you," said the pilot as he reclined in his seat, sipping some of his wife's tea. "Seems like you can clean up."

"Yeah," Cloud replied, an edge to his voice as he eyed the man warily. "I can."

"So, how're y'all gettin' on over in Edge?"

"We're fine," mumbled the SOLDIER, readying himself for another of the Cid's barbs. None came as the spearman enjoyed his drink, gesturing the younger blonde over to the table. Cloud seated himself, staring out the window. For a while, the only sound was a whistling kettle followed by Shera's occasional humming as she faced away from the men, brewing more tea.

"Bet it'd be more fine," began the older man suddenly as he set down his cup. "If Tifa we're 'round."

"Cid," chided Shera as she joined them in a seat of her own, setting down a pot before pouring herself a cup of the warm beverage. She knew that her husband still blamed the spiky haired man for the disappearance of the lovely barmaid despite almost an entire year having gone by. Glancing over at Cloud, she saw him turn away, the pain of the loss still evident.

"I'm statin' facts, Shera," shot back the man she married. "Boy knows damn well what he did. Ain't even got the spine to go searchin' for her."

"That doesn't mean you get to insult him about it every chance you get," she huffed, setting her cup down roughly. Shera had heard the story over and over the first time Cid had returned from Edge, receiving a version of it laced with curses and expletives. "He's done his best without a single call from her. Not even you and I know where Tifa is! What makes you think she even wants to go back?"

"Stop."

With that single order, the married pair ceased their arguing. Turning to its source, both met Cloud Strife's sky blue glare. Leaving his seat, the SOLDIER walked over and stepped up to the pilot, the men staring each other down as Shera attempted to defuse the tense situation. "Okay, calm down-"

Raising his hand, her husband stopped her from speaking, leaving Shera to narrow her brown eyes in frustration. "This is between men, Shera. We won't start nothin' dangerous."

Cloud nodded, not turning away from the man who had insulted him all year. "What do you want, Cid?"

Scoffing at Cloud's newfound toughness, he replied. "I know what I want, Strife. Yer' the one that doesn't."

"I don't know how many times I have to apologize before you get off my back-"

"I ain't the the one that needs apologizin' to, ya hear?" growled Cid as he jammed his finger into the other man's chest. "You got a fine lady waitin' on you and you treat her like crap. No wonder she left your dumb ass."

"You'd be one to talk," said Cloud, his tone even but laced with venom. He'd had enough of the arrogant aviator. "Especially after the way you used to treat Shera. Why do you care?"

After pausing for a moment, Cid replied with a sad smile. "Strife, that's exactly why I care so damn much. You really wanna end up like me?"

"Cid," murmured the caring scientist at hearing her husband's confession, enveloping her spouse in a comforting hug. "You know I forgive you."

"I know, Shera," came her husband's sincere reply as he wrapped an arm around the woman he loved. "But I ain't ever gonna forgive myself for hurtin' you for so long."

Shocked by the other man's admission, Cloud took a step back. He knew that Cid was right. He had spent the last two years dominated by his fear, pushing away the only woman he had ever wanted. Now he only had his guilt to live with after she had decided she had been burned one too many times. Now he understood the married man's insults. With a smirk, he faced the only man who understood his predicament. The only man who had, in his own way, pushed him to find the girl next door. "Thanks, Cid."

"Ain't a damn thing you need to thank me for and I ain't sayin' sorry neither," responded the airman with an upward quirk to his own lips as he held Shera close. "You gonna look for her now?"

Cloud shook his head. "She's not Shera. I'm not you. You two got together but it doesn't mean we will. Yuffie and Barret know where she is. I just won't ask."

The couple nodded reluctantly, acknowledging the truth in the young man's words. "Because you think she'd be better off without you," realized Shera aloud, eliciting a nod from the SOLDIER with a downcast gaze. He knew she was. No matter how hard it was for him, Cloud knew she would be happier without him.

"Well alright then. But Strife, Tifa or no Tifa, I just wish you'd stop bein' such a sad prick every goddamned time you showed up," Cid said, his own eyes slightly misty despite the humor in his voice. "That ain't gonna do you or any of them kids of 'yers any good. 'Woulda thought a whole year of me pushin' yer nose in the dirt would toughened you up a little. "

With a smirk, Cloud decided it was time to go. "It has," he admitted with a nod before turning to retrieve the First Sword from its place against a wall.

Opening the front door, the blue eyed blade wielder realized how much time he'd spent in the Highwind home. Now, the sky glowed a brilliant orange as the sun began to set. Turning at the threshold to look upon the happy couple, he instead found himself hugged by Shera as Cid gave him a friendly pat on the back. "If ever you need anything…" she trailed, wiping her suddenly teary eyes so she could see him clearly.

"Don't worry," he replied with a reassuring half smile before heading out the door. Seated on Fenrir, he sped up slowly until he reached the edge of Rocket Town, mobbed all the while by his ever present fans. Cid and Shera Highwind laughed, seeing the proud warrior from just moments ago turned into a frazzled young man as he tried to maneuver his vehicle free from the adoring horde.

"Do you think he'll be alright?" whispered the bespectacled lady, leaning into her husband's embrace.

"He will. You see him kill that Zolom? No Materia too! Almost crapped myself," joked the spearman, planting a kiss atop his wife's head.

"Cid! What did we say about words like that?" she said, playfully slapping his shoulder. "But you're right. He'll be just fine."

The two stood at the open door in each other's arms, watching their friend ride off into the sunset. "I know. But I still think he'd get by better with Tifa hangin' around," started Cid. "Especially with them kids. Aw, heck, least he's got them."

Looking down at his wife, the airman saw her suddenly become timid as she buried her face in his chest. "Somethin' wrong?"

"Cloud's got kids," mumbled Shera, barely audible. "But so do you."

"What?' gasped the pilot as his wife's eyes met his own, beaming with joy. "You ain't pullin' my leg, are ya?"

Shaking her head, Shera chuckled and hugged her husband as he embraced her in return. Laughing heartily all the while, Cid knew he would gladly spend the rest of his life making it all up to the one in his arms and the life she carried with her.

And thus ends part 7. Since the second arc is ending next chapter, it'll be real special and is obviously a huge turning point. Especially since all the party members have made an appearance. Or maybe we're missing someone important? Either way, thank you for reading and I hope you leave a review! =)


	8. Chapter 8

"Yuffie, stop messin' around!" scolded the bear of a man as his arm spat gunfire. "Swear to Bahamut I ain't gonna heal yo' ass if you don't do something about that egg lookin' thing!"

"Which one?" grunted Yuffie as she unleashed her shuriken once more. "The big ones, the bigger ones or the biggest one?!"

Realizing the redundancy of his statement, Barret offered no retort as he unleashed another burst of lead on the incoming Grangalan and its numerous offspring. Tearing through the growing horde, he realized the insanity of his and Yuffie's predicament as more replaced those they had already felled. "Damn, there's too many off 'em!

As the creatures closed in around them, the duo heard the roar of a familiar engine as Fenrir cleaved through the onslaught. Stopping beside them, its rider brandished his now well known Fusion Sword with all of its blades combined. "Cloud!" exclaimed the shuriken wielding princess. "Got here just in time!"

Cutting down the nearest Grangalan, Cloud grunted with effort before replying. "What are you two doing here?"

"Favor for Reeve! Same as you, Spiky!" roared Barret over the deadly barrage he unloaded into the seemingly endless wave of their enemies. "Stopped a buncha' guys who were tryin' to blow up Corel with a train again! Fools wanted all our oil!"

"And coal!" added Yuffie with cheer despite their peril. "I thought you guys were a coal mining town!"

"Hey, we do oil too," growled the burliest member of the trio, insulted that someone would forget his prized business.

Unamused by their banter, the motorcycle riding warrior cut in. "Not important right now. Any ideas for these guys? And the bar, Yuffie?"

"We thought freezing them would work! And Elena's got it!" assured the ninja, cutting through the smallest of the monsters as they approached her.

"But Yuffie and I ain't got much Mana left," explained Barret with a growl, frustrated with the constant danger today seemed to bring. "Used almost everythin' in the tank to ice that train in Corel!"

"You don't," Cloud began. "But I do. Yuffie, I need your Ice materia!"

As his friend handed him the requested Materia, Cloud felt its power as he slotted it into his weapon. Concentrating, he let the energy flow through him and unleashed it on the unfortunate egg-like beings. One by one, they were caught in a miniature blizzard as the SOLDIER rapidly used up his energy, repeatedly bringing forth the eternal frost within the glowing green orb. When it was over, every Grangalan in sight was encased in ice, leaving them at the mercy of AVALANCHE. Sadly for them, the three felt only wrath as each unleashed their fury. The monsters were perforated as Barret's machine gun shredded rows of his frozen foes. Behind him, a beam of energy bisected more thanks to Cloud while Yuffie dashed between the ranks of Grangalan, cutting them to ribbons with impossibly fast slashes.

When it was all over, it was Barret who spoke first, a satisfied smile gracing his normally harsh features. "Don't think we missed a single one."

But it was not to be as a member of the monstrous horde had managed to reach the beachside settlement Barret and Yuffie were trying to protect. As it and its smaller progeny approached the sunny township, people scattered and ran for their homes. All except for one.

A woman. Long black hair fell across her shoulders and sundress. Her porcelain skin was slightly tanned from her months under the sun. Combat gloves adorned her hands as well, a sign that she was no mere bystander. Seeing her foes on the edge of the settlement, she met them head on. Dispatching the three smallest with a single, ferocious low swing of her leg, she furthered her assault. Using the momentum from her first strike, the bruiser danced into her second and third. A spinning backfist crushed a larger one before her hook ended its twin. Now facing the last of the beasts, Tifa Lockhart beat it down with a rush of punishing punches and kicks, leaving its broken carcass behind.

Making her way back through town, people began to trickle out of their homes as soon as the sounds of battle ceased. Waving away the thanks of some townsfolk, she was greeted at the tavern by a boy and a girl. Rushing out, they could barely contain their excitement at hearing about their mother's newest battle.

"Are you alright, Tifa?" inquired Denzel, concern momentarily passing over his face.

The little girl laughed, enthusiastically pulling at the skirt of her parent's colorful sundress. "Of course she is, Denzel! She's Tifa!" cheered Marlene, jabbing the air in an imitation of the battling barmaid's skill in a melee. "Now, what was it? What did you fight?"

With her hands caressing their shoulders, she ushered her children back into her place of work, the neon sign above the door saying "Johnny's Heaven". "Nothing I couldn't handle," the young mother replied with a caring smile as the warm Costa del Sol sun shone in the sky.

Half an hour later, two forms entered the small but cozy bar. "We're back," sing-songed Yuffie, tucking away her shuriken as she waved at the older woman and the children. "You two been taking care of Tifa?"

"You guys are big kids now," laughed Barret as Denzel and Marlene nodded their heads, both enjoying sumptuous meals at the bar counter. "She'll need you two to help out more!"

"Not yet," responded the martial artist, returning to her job as a barkeep as she handed a customer a drink. "They can be little kids for a bit longer. If that's what they want, that is."

Both children yelled their agreement, much to their mother's joyous laughter. "See?"

The kunoichi laughed along too. "Yup! You guys are my little brother and sister! Can't have you growing up too fast," she said as she tickled the young duo.

"Well, all right," conceded Barret with a smile. "But you two still need to take care of Tifa! Yuffie and I gotta go check the town. If any of those things made it here…"

"I took care of them," called the dark haired bartender. "They weren't any trouble."

"We believe you! But Reeve says the WRO needs to be, um, meticulous!" Yuffie chirped, happy to have remembered the older man's words. "Especially before you-know-what…"

"What?" inquired Tifa, genuinely concerned for the spunky ninja.

"Those fans of his!" yelled an exasperated kunoichi, drawing the eyes of all in the bar. "I swear Cloud's groupies-"

Catching herself, Yuffie's face reddened at having mentioned his name. "Uh-I-I mean…"

At that moment, Barret wanted to clamp his good hand over the young woman's mouth. He would have had he not heard the sounds of mayhem brewing outside. Rushing through the tavern doors, what he saw stopped him from preventing any mention of the blonde. Once again, Cloud himself was surrounded by throngs of people. "Yuffie, come on outta there! They got him again!"

Having followed the conversation, all of the bar's occupants rushed past the larger man. Scrambling, they merely added to Barret's growing headache as they sought to catch a glimpse of the now world famous Cloud Strife. "Already?! That's the fifth time this week!" cried the tired princess. Favoring Tifa with an apologetic smile, she then followed her larger friend, who was already trying to disperse the crowd.

Feeling that dull ache in her chest once more, she wanted no part of it until she saw Marlene and Denzel. Despite their downcast eyes, she knew they wanted to see their father but had restrained themselves for her sake. "Just for them," Tifa thought to herself.

Sighing, the bruiser plastered on a smile as she took their hands and led them outside. "He'd want to see you too."

Peering up at her happily, they then slipped from her grasp, rushing off towards the center of the crowd in the middle of town. "But not me," whispered the fighter to herself, a sad smile warping her kind face as she felt the pain of her broken heart once more. To her mind, it had not dulled in the last in the nearly single year away from him.

Not too far away, the source of her hurt was trying to push his bike through the beach side town. Calling for him, the public had once again barred their newest hero's way. "'Scuse me," he called, gently nudging his fans out of the way with the same shy smile he always had when he was embarrassed. Making his way at a snail's pace, Cloud simply put one foot in front of the other. As dodging overenthusiastic lips and camera flashes had become second nature to him now, he let his mind wander.

To her. Where was she? Was she safe? Mended? In a better man's arms? He didn't have any right to question her. After all, he had been the cause of her grief. Stirred from his reverie by that last sorrowful thought, he felt two small pairs of hands pull at him. Looking to his side, the darkly garbed warrior's expression of contemplation was broken upon seeing his children.

Crouching down to meet them with a soft but pleasantly surprised smirk, Cloud ignored the crowd around them. "What're you two doing here?" he asked, hugging them warmly. "I thought you two were on vacation."

"We just wanted to see you," admitted Denzel quietly, uncomfortable with the masses interrupting his and Marlene's moment with their father. "Is it always like this?"

"Yup," Cloud said in response with a playful eye roll. "Pretty tiring. I wanna be alone sometimes."

"Don't worry, Cloud," said Marlene, still hugging him. "Big Sis Yuffie and Daddy'll help you."

Seconds later, the two arrived, announced by Barret's roar telling people to leave "pretty boy" alone. Yuffie waved at him before proceeding to lecture the two children, having woven through the gathered masses to retrieve the youths. "We told you two to stay back and you didn't listen," she scolded with a glare. "You could've gotten hurt. This is no place for my little brother and sister. "

"But since we're both little," replied Marlene with a defiant pout. "We got to see Cloud. The grown ups couldn't stop us."

"Yeah! We can get into those small spots the grown ups can't reach!" added Denzel, his own face equally rebellious.

At their response, the glare on Yuffie's face was replaced by a smile. "Fine, you're right. I would've done the same thing when I was small like you guys. But," she countered, waving a finger at them despite the prideful grin on her face. "You have to bring me with you. Your big sis doesn't wanna miss out on the fun! Now say bye to Cloud! He's gotta go!"

Giving hugs and kisses to his kids before giving a friendly wave to the kunoichi, Cloud watched them leave him as Yuffie returned to Barret's side. His blue eyes followed Denzel and Marlene, seeing their little legs carry them to a woman standing outside a bar with a familiar neon sign. She passed into his gaze for only a split second. Even then, that was enough for him. He drank her in.

Raven locks flowed freely as her now lightly tanned skin shined in the sun, lending her an alluring aura that made him wish he could turn and have her near him.

A floral sundress graced her figure as she took her children's hands, accentuating her perfect form that he had come to love as the symbol of her grace and power in battle.

But all that faded away when he saw her smile. The same loving gaze and the same curve to her pink lips that made the most breathtaking woman he had ever seen only more beautiful. He was drawn towards her. Always had been and always would be. But he could only imagine how long it had taken her to regain her glow. Her strength.

Now, Tifa was Tifa again. Shera had said aloud what he had only ever said to himself.

Tifa Lockhart was happy without him. Seeing her now, she reminded him of a flower. He knew flowers needed sunlight. She had found hers here. But if she was with him? He would only live up to his name, bringing her a horrid storm and leaving a flawless blossom to wilt.

He let that sink in as he pushed through the crowd again. It was the truth. A bitter one but the truth nonetheless. She didn't need a hero. Especially one who had failed her time and again like him. It was time for her to move on. He couldn't have been happier for her.

But if he was so happy for her…

...why did his despair only grow with every step that carried him away from her?

As she turned back into Johnny's Heaven, she felt them. His eyes on her. If only for a moment. And she had done the same, taking in the man who stirred her heart with a promise under the endless starry sky. Who always would so long as he was close to her. But she knew of his hardships over her absence. A dark part of her mind thought of them as fitting retribution for all her anguish. But she banished the thought. She knew herself. She would never wish his ordeals on anyone. Nor would he have sought repayment from her for the harsh trials she had left him with. Because she knew him. It was only a fleeting moment after the months apart but she would always know him.

The same sky blue eyes and striking blonde bangs that made her heart flutter with every glimpse of them.

The same uniform that not only stood as a symbol of his dream but displayed his body honed through years of fighting to protect her and their friends.

But it was his smile. Shy. Boyish. A small but honest smile that broke through his typically serious visage, rendering his already handsome features absolutely irresistible to her on the rare moments it appeared. He had found it again. Seeing him then, she knew that she was right for leaving him. Her romantic overtures had only been self-centered. She had scared him. Pressured him. Drove him away until each precious hug and kiss from him was nothing but an obligation he felt to her. After pining for him for so long, her feelings had only made things worse for a man who had never had the chance to mourn the years and friends he had lost.

If she had stayed, Cloud would never have become the best version of Cloud. A whole version of himself freed from his trauma. But now? After she had left? The Cloud Strife he had become without her was proof that she had been vindicated in her choice to start over without him. Now he had a life to live. And she was overjoyed that he had everything he had left their little mountainside town for.

But if she was so overjoyed…

…why did the emptiness in her only deepen as she turned her away from him?

She's back! Here is the end of part 2! Many thanks for reading what I hope was a good chapter! Again, leave a review if it suits you and I really hope you do!


	9. Chapter 9

Barret Wallace sipped his Corel wine. Waiting for a certain blonde delivery boy. At eight in the morning. He really needed the wine. "He'd better be here."

"Cloud's an early riser," mumbled Yuffie, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. The bar wasn't even open. But for a friend like Barret? Seventh Heaven's current bartender had no problem with giving special treatment. "You just gotta wait when he goes off like that."

"Got a delivery for him," grumbled the large man. "He still does that right? Ain't too busy playin' the pretty boy for all the ladies?"

"He still does," responded the drowsy kunoichi, stifling a yawn while wiping the countertop. "I think he does more of them now. Everyone wants to see him. That's what fame does to you."

"Heh, long as he's keepin' himself and the kids in one piece, I ain't really complainin'. He treat you and the girls all right?"

Yuffie offered a sleepy smile and nod. "Yup. But he can still be grumpy sometimes. I guess that's just Cloud for you."

Sharing a laugh, the two former AVALANCHE members turned towards the stairs as they heard small feet scamper down. "Daddy!" chirped Marlene while still in her pajamas, running up to the first of her two fathers. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, just got a package for Cloud," he replied, grunting as he set his daughter on the stool beside him. "You know where he is?"

"Hm," thought the young girl as they all heard a familiar motorcycle pull in right outside Seventh Heaven. "There he is!"

"Right you are!" exclaimed Barret. "Ain't my little girl a sharp one, Yuffie?"

"The sharpest! She is my little sister after all!" complemented the young barkeep as Cloud Strife entered.

"Spiky," called Barret as the hero joined them at the counter. "Got a delivery for ya."

Receiving the small package, Cloud set it down on a neighboring stool, electing to have breakfast with the three before getting to business. As they neared the end of their meal, he decided it was time to look over the request. As the swordsman placed the package on the counter, Yuffie was the first to comment with a nostalgic smile on its address.

"Wow, we haven't been there in a while!"

"Yeah," agreed the gun-armed man. "But it's gotten better since then. Since Mako ain't no longer bein' sucked up, place healed nicely."

"But it's already way closer to you, Barret. Why give Cloud the job?"

"Figured he could use the money more than I could."

"Ooh," cooed Marlene, eager to join the discussion. "Where is that?"

"It's where a friend of mine grew up," replied the blonde, a smile flitting over his features. "If I wanna get this done, I should go now."

Giving Marlene a hug and waving goodbye to his friends, Cloud set off on Fenrir once more. After Yuffie served Marlene seconds at a booth in the bar, it was then that her real conversation with Barret began in hushed tones.

"Think he saw her?" asked the young princess, concerned for Cloud and Tifa. "Is that why he's been so gloomy lately?"

"He has?"

The Single White Rose of Wutai nodded vigorously. "He's back to nodding or shaking his head again when we ask questions. If we're a lucky we get a grunt. Then we have to figure out if it's a "Yes" grunt or a "No" grunt. Only the kids seem to cheer him up."

"Hmph, can't think of any other reason why he'd be so mopey," replied Barret somberly. "And do I think he saw her? No way he wouldn't have. You know Spiky. Man can spot Tifa anywhere. Didn't think seein' her once'd leave him so down."

In response, Yuffie lit up. "You think they'll get back together?" she asked dreamily before sighing romantically. "I hope they do."

Barret shrugged as he downed his Corel wine. "Don't we all? Those two are practically made for each other. And it'd be great for the kids. For all of us really. Finally gettin' rid of them bein' sad all the time. Feel like I'm walkin' on eggshells anytime I talk to one of 'em. They got the same face when you mention the other. Always lookin' like they 'bout to cry."

"I know, right?" agreed the ninja, annoyed. "With Cloud, you can't mention Tifa. With Tifa, you can't mention Cloud. They're not even married! But if you've got one…"

"Heck, you've got the other," chuckled Barret. "But it's gotta be between them. I ain't gettin' mixed up in no more of this love business. Always confuses me."

"I hope my boyfriend and I never end up like that!"

Barret did a spit take, drawing his daughter's eye as he raised his voice at the kunoichi. "Boyfriend?!"

Yuffie could only smile sheepishly as the stern man proceeded to give her a fatherly lecture on the nature of men and relationships.

Oblivious to Yuffie's sudden revelation was the male subject of Seventh Heaven's gossip. Having already left Edge far behind him, Cloud arrived hours later at his destination. Walking down the forest path, the sword wielder noted the lush greenery that permeated the area around the ruined Mako reactor as he entered the town proper.

Eyeing the package in his hands, he felt nervous as he read the name scrawled on the package:

Fair Residence

Cosmo Area, Gongaga Township

"Didn't think I'd ever see them again," mused the blonde, pausing as he stared at the closed door in front of him. Behind it waited the family of his long-dead friend. Never once had he taken the time to tell them about their child. About how their son had dragged him across the world to see the love of his life before he had been cut down. About how Zack Fair, 1st Class SOLDIER, had given his life and legacy to him, Cloud Strife, a nobody from Nibelheim. He had failed to tell them all those years ago upon his first visit to their town, his memories gone during their initial meeting.

Now he could correct that mistake. Breathing in slowly, the spiky haired rider knocked on the door to the old house. "Strife Delivery Service. Package for the Fair Residence."

Immediately, he heard feet shuffle towards the door before it opened to reveal the pleasant faces of Mr. and Mrs. Fair. "Oh, he's really here!" exclaimed Zack's father, an exuberant smile on his face that reminded Cloud of his son despite his years. "The planet's newest hero!"

"Oh, dear, let's not trouble the boy more than we have to," said his wife, embarrassed by her husband's overly chipper attitude. "Where do we sign, Mr. Strife?"

Handing them a small piece of paper, the couple filled in the form, confirming that they had indeed received their order: a folder of photographs from friends across the world. As he took the paper back into his hands, Cloud knew it was the right time. "Do you remember me?" he mumbled, almost silent as he cast his gaze downwards.

"Excuse me, sir?" inquired the woman. "My hearing isn't as sharp as it used to be."

"Four years ago," began Cloud. "I came here. To your village. I said I was in SOLDIER."

The couple's eyes widened as recognition passed over their faces.

"Then you asked me if I knew Zack. Your son."

His friend's father took a step forward, voice shaky. "Well, did you?"

The SOLDIER could only nod. "I'm sorry. My memories… they were gone back then. But I remember now. He was my friend. He saved me."

And so it was that Gaia's hero spent the next hour regaling the older couple with tales of their son within the comfort of their home. His kindness. His courage. His love for a beautiful flower girl. His heroism. And his sacrifice. "I can talk to them sometimes," he revealed. "Him and her. In a chapel. Midgar's ruins."

"How?" inquired the Zack's mother excitedly. "You really can talk to our son?"

Fondly remembering his conversations with the lovers, Cloud smirked. "They're both there. Always are when I need them."

Turning to her husband with tears in her eyes, the older man nodded his agreement, knowing that they would both visit one day. "Thank you, young man," said the older woman with a smile. "Always knew my boy would turn out good."

"The best," complemented Cloud with the utmost respect.

"Well, seems like you got everything figured out," intoned Mr. Fair jovially.

He could only nod slowly. "If only they knew," thought Cloud as his eyes found the floor once more, remembering seeing and letting go of Tifa Lockhart again beneath the glow of the Costa del Sol sun.

"Well, with that long face of yours I'd say something's missing," claimed the man with the same mischievous tone as his son. "I'd know that look on any man. Seems like the hero is missing a lady. There's always a girl, eh? Well, we don't know you all that well but you look like you could use a listening ear. So, would you tell us about her?"

Between denying the man or admitting the truth, Cloud wisely chose the latter. He nodded his head, realizing that he had already been seen through. "It was my fault. I didn't care enough. So she left me."

Confused by the vagueness of his response, Mrs. Fair asked the one question on her mind. "Didn't care enough? What do you mean by that?"

With a sigh, the blonde told them everything about Tifa Lockhart.

Tifa Lockhart, the master martial artist who had stopped Meteor.

Tifa Lockhart, the boyhood crush that had chosen him as her hero.

Tifa Lockhart, his childhood friend who had pieced his mind together.

Tifa Lockhart, the endlessly patient woman who had waited a year for him.

Tifa Lockhart, the mother of his family and the woman who had stolen his heart.

Tifa Lockhart, the one who had gotten away because he had never deserved her anyway.

Eventually, he finished. "I was scared. I had already left once. They were afraid I might do it again. But I wanted them to trust me. So I did everything she wanted me to. More deliveries. More contact..." he trailed, blushing at the thought of his private moments with the buxom brunette. "But she wanted more. She wasn't wrong to. But I didn't know how to show her. I was afraid. So we just grew cold."

"I'm not your mom, Cloud, but as a mother and married woman, that is the most preposterous thing I have ever heard any couple do," said the lady with a huff, sounding every bit like his mom as her husband chuckled. "You march right over to wherever she is right now. Sounds like she deserves a proper apology. You two need to talk. Hmph, letting the fire go out like that."

"No," he refused. "She's better off without me. I'll just leave her alone. That's my apology."

"And how would you know that?" asked Mr. Fair. "You seen her at all lately?"

Another nod from Cloud as he felt like he was being scolded by his parents. "Costa del Sol. She looks good. Happy."

"That's on the way back to Edge!" exclaimed Zack's mother. "Just talk to her then!"

"But-"

"But nothing," cut in the married man, tired of Cloud's excuses. "She makes you promise to be her hero. She follows you to stop a planet-wide calamity. She waits for you when you leave for a year. She's in love with you."

"Not anymore."

"Well, you won't really know that unless you go over to Costa del Sol and ask her," reasoned the only woman in the room. "Tell me, are you in love with her?"

He said nothing.

"Cloud Strife."

"Yes," sighed Cloud Strife, who had beaten Sephiroth thrice only to be crushed by the might of a middle aged woman. "I'm in love with her."

"Knew it," replied the now smirking mother of his friend. "But you have to tell her that. And apologize too. She might come back. She might not. But you'll regret never telling her. Besides, aren't you her hero?"

Cloud just shrugged.

Oh, Zack," called the father to his son silently upon seeing the SOLDIER's true timid personality. "Please say something to this boy."

Standing from his seat to wrap an arm around his wife, the older man shared a loving gaze with her before giving one final word to the crestfallen younger man. "If he was here, Zack'd tell you the same thing I'll tell you now," spoke Mr. Fair. "You're both still hurting. But it's been up to you for a whole year to do something about that."

"Let me tell you," he continued, kissing his beloved on the cheek. "There are two things I don't ever regret: this lady I married and our little boy. I don't regret marrying her right outside. I don't regret sending our boy off to SOLDIER. Why? Because as scary as all that was, I knew they were both the right thing to do and I haven't been proven wrong. None of my wonderful woman right here? No Zack. No son of mine in SOLDIER? No you and we'd have all been blown to bits four years ago. And now you tell us where our little boy went. We're thankful. So to thank you for that, we gave you our ears on dealing with that woman you've been searching for. It's clear what you need to do. High time you get moving, young man."

Favoring her son's friend with a kind quirk of her lips, Mrs. Fair knew her husband had touched the quiet hero's heart. "You need to stop running, Cloud. Gotta face her someday. Maybe not today or tomorrow. But you need to be quick. She sounds like a fine young woman. And if she's working in Costa del Sol, she might not be a single one much longer. Place is full of men on the prowl."

Returning her smile with a meek one of his own, Cloud nodded in agreement and hurried out the door. Waving to the happily married couple as he revved Fenrir's engine, he knew he needed a plan. Mrs. Fair was right. Maybe Tifa wouldn't come back. But she deserved to hear everything from him. He had to face her.

Making his way through Costa del Sol a scant few hours later, he could see the faint twinkle of stars above as the sun set. Looking over to Johnny's Heaven and then up to the few sparks in the darkening sky, he wordlessly asked for their guidance. In his silence, Cloud felt a gust of wind brush over his face, drawing his site to the docks. Knowing that tonight wasn't the right time, the courier boarded a ship bound for Junon and then carried on to Edge, his mind racing with ideas about how to approach the lovely Lockhart.

Completely energized despite his long trip, he rushed into Seventh Heaven at nearly midnight. Not expecting a single soul to be up at such a late hour , Cloud was surprised to find his daughter awake with paper and crayons. Seated at a booth, she appeared to be engaged in the creation of another one of her drawings which had become famous among the members of AVALANCHE. "Marlene," the bladesman called, catching her attention. "What are you doing up so late?"

At the sight of her father, the little girl's face broke into a wide grin as she gestured for him to join her. "Cloud, look what I made," she squealed. "It's all of us!"

Taking a seat opposite her, he happily took the drawing from her and held it up to the lone light hanging overhead in the booth. "Hm," he grunted, returning her creation to the tabletop between them as he pointed at a pink clad figure with one cartoonishly large yellow hand. "Who's this?"

"Uncle Vinnie!"

"Oh, really?" replied the SOLDIER with a smirk, imagining Vincent's reaction to an interpretation of his brooding self with a hot pink cape. "And this orange one? Four legs? A cat?"

"Uncle Nanaki! But he's not a cat. He's a doggy."

"I always thought he was more like a cat. Seems like I was wrong then. I don't recognize any of them," said Cloud with good-natured sarcasm. "Why don't you tell me who they are?"

Excited, Marlene leaned over the table, eagerly identifying every member of their makeshift family as drawn in crayon.

For herself and Denzel? Two small figures. One with a fantastically large ribbon and the other with a large head of unruly brown hair.

For her daddy, Barret? A hulking, bear-like figure with a single grey, rectangular arm of enormous size.

Her three big sisters? A blonde one with a single line for a mouth was Elena. Beside her stood a version of Shelke with hilariously red hair and a Yuffie with a simple smiley face gripping a wheel that was Marlene's idea of a shuriken.

What about Reeve and Cait Sith? The company man cut a dapper if thin figure in his crayon suit. The man's head boasted added detail, his face was peppered with black splotches for his beard. By his side stood a lump of circles similar to a marshmallow with a crowned cat floating above, its body a series of wavy lines.

The happily married Cid and Shera? Not left out at all. The pilot was a stick figure with a yellow squiggly line for his hair and a titanic cigar stuck to his head as he grasped a pointed line. His scholarly wife on the other hand had been more caringly rendered. While her glasses had turned into two circles that rested upon her face, her brown ponytail had been captured by a large wavy form that rose from the top of her head to end at her side.

Finally, only two pairs of figures were left. The first duo would have loved the drawing as Zack's dark mane and Buster Sword were rendered with Marlene's utmost effort. The same affection was shown to Aerith as flowers sprouted about her pretty pink dress while her braid fell beside her as a chain of brown circles. With an almost imperceptible smile, Cloud showed that he was glad the star crossed lovers had not been forgotten. As a final detail, he noted warmly that Marlene had added a luminous heart above their heads.

Now he came to the last pair. A stick figure with yellow spikes for hair and with its own large sword graced the space beside another. This one had flowing black strands fanned around her head as patches of red and black ran along her arms in an imitation of combat gloves. This pair was his favorite. As a matter of fact, he decided that Tifa Lockhart in crayon was his favorite form among the many gathered on the page. And the best part about it?

A heart hung over them as well.

As she finished her description of the last two members of her artwork, Marlene smiled up at him. She was shining with the pride and love she felt for her those beloved enough to be a part of her portrait. "Take it, Cloud! It's our family!"

Reverently receiving the little girl's gift, Cloud knew it was time. "It is, isn't it?" he replied, meeting Marlene's beaming face with a gentle smile as he remembered the months of the year that had gone by without Tifa.

CHAPTER 9 EVERYBODY and the beginning of the third and final part! Thank you for giving this story a read. =) If you would leave a comment, I would be grateful and I hope you enjoyed it. The next two chapters the heaviest and I'm rarin' to share them with you. But for now, our story ends here.


	10. Chapter 10

Nearly one year ago…

She was hurt.

She was tired.

She didn't wanna push him anymore. He'd already been through enough. They had already been through enough.

These thoughts ran through Tifa Lockhart's mind as she packed her duffel bag. She had wanted more from him during their months together. She had relished every one of his touches, no matter how small. But he was unwilling to deepen their budding romance. That had left her confused. As the months passed, confusion had become frustration and eventually hurt. Was she not pretty enough? Strong enough? What was wrong with her?

Then she realized it. She had been selfish. What might have been a mere kiss to her was an intimate expression of his love. A hug? To her, an affectionate but common gesture. But to him, it meant opening himself up after years of trauma and pretending that she was just a friend. His embrace had granted both of them a taste of the intimacy they had waited so long for. When it had dawned on her, the raven haired lady's heart had shattered as she thought of how deeply her growing coldness had driven him away. That was a week ago. Then she had only felt a dullness deep within her. Now? Now the tears left her red-brown eyes unrestrained as she realized that her actions had left their love irreparable and dead. In the end, she had hurt him and he had hurt her. It was obvious as his tenderness had become replaced by the returning aloofness of his childhood. But what could she do? Ask Cloud to leave? Or take their children with her? She would never. Tifa knew he loved their kids as much as she did. But leaving behind her old life? To free them both of heartache?

This was the only option. In the end, she knew what she was about to do was right. The fighter could think of no other way to ease their mutual sorrow. But she couldn't tell a soul. It would only worsen an already bleak situation. If he knew, Cloud would fight for her to stay. He would apologize. He would make promises. He would tell himself that he had failed her again. To see him like that once more was too much for her already wounded heart. The girl from Nibelheim didn't want any more pain, both his and hers. Stepping out of Seventh Heaven, Tifa knew she had to leave. To forge a new life for herself elsewhere. Where exactly? The martial artist didn't know. But she would figure it out. She always did. Seventh Heaven's now former bartender traveled down the sidewalk, wiping her crying eyes underneath the early morning sun. Then she remembered her children who had risen especially early to spend their day with Barret. Thinking of them, Tifa's heart broke again when she realized they would return to a house without her. The young mother hoped Denzel and Marlene would understand one day as she left them for a while. She just needed time to find herself again.

A week later, Tifa had arrived in Costa del Sol. Here would be good. A shining sun and the ocean breeze would warm the chill in her soul. Kalm had never been an option, being too close to Edge and painful memories. Junon's cement and metal had left her feeling choked as she dodged familiar faces like Priscilla. To her, Costa del Sol was the right town for her to restart her life in. Now she only needed a job. With the raging party scene in the beach town, Tifa knew she could be a barkeep in this seaside settlement.

With how lively things could become here, maybe she would even have some fun. Wandering the bright streets for any sign of employment, the bruiser knew she had found her answer when she rounded a nearby corner. Spotting the familiar neon sign, Tifa remembered that he had moved here with his wife after the Remnants had attacked Edge two years ago.

Entering Johnny's Heaven, the lonely woman was greeted by a friendly face as soon as she walked through the door. "Tifa? Is that you?" called her fiery haired friend. "What are you doing here?"

"Fresh start, Johnny," she mumbled, doing her best to hide her heartbreak. "I was looking for a job actually. Know anyone looking for a bartender?"

"Are you kidding? Babe, we finally got one!" he yelled enthusiastically. Immediately, a heavily pregnant woman made her way in from a side door with a smile, cradling her belly.

"Oh, thank goodness," breathed Johnny's wife as her husband rushed to her side. "You've finally got some help, love!"

"Means I can spend more time around you, good lookin'," he complimented as he took her hand, helping her walk. "Take it easy. Don't push yourself with the cleaning. I've got it. Now, you remember Tifa right? I told you about her. Old friend of mine from Nibelheim."

"Of course I do," replied the married woman, hugging the other lady warmly. "Welcome to our town!"

Despite returning the other woman's embrace, Tifa still felt surprised by the ease with which the couple had accepted her as an employee. "Huh, no interview? Test? Nothing?" she asked, confused. "That's it?"

Johnny only shot her a smile in return. "Definitely! My lady agrees too!" exclaimed the man as his wife nodded in support. "We know you can handle a bar no problem! Babe and I remember how good Seventh Heaven in Edge was! So welcome to Johnny's Heaven!"

Warmed by their kind reception, Tifa did something she almost forgot she could do. She smiled, expressing her gratitude with a kind quirk of her lips. "I won't let you two down," she promised, already making her way behind the bar for her first day on the job. From that day and every day afterwards, the martial artist felt her old self returning. Surrounded by friendly locals, the carmine eyed woman enjoyed her time under the warm sun as she left her troubles far behind her.

Occupying an extra room in the bar, Tifa settled into her new life. The lady of battle decorated her abode with trinkets from the town's shops and an occasional bouquet of flowers while sundresses joined her wardrobe. Eventually, she began exploring Costa del Sol, finding it to be flourishing with life she hadn't appreciated all those years ago. From the smell of food to the cheers of the jovial townspeople, the barkeep had begun to fall in love with her new home. But with that love came growing pains.

With the laugh of every child came a pang of guilt, remembering her own son and daughter in Edge. But she brushed it off, knowing that she had left so that she could be the best Tifa she could be. The one that would treat them the way they deserved. She would come back for Denzel and Marlene one day. Until then, their mother would silently pray for their safety every day.

What the pretty brunette was not prepared for were the romantics of Costa del Sol. From flirty words to blatant attempts at groping, the country girl was surprised to see that men seemed to flock to her. With Johnny's help and his wife's support, she had fended them off easily. But on the rare occasion a simple refusal hadn't sufficed, her mastery of unarmed combat had made itself terrifyingly known. Even then, her two friends wondered why she had turned away every single suitor. Tifa could offer no truthful response. After all, how could she explain seeing a certain swordsman's blonde hair and blue eyes every time a man approached her?

Wanting to see beyond the town, Tifa soon found herself venturing out into the wilderness. Seeking the peace and quiet afforded by rolling plains, she found her mind and body at ease when she was alone in her free time. Despite the peace, she was still Tifa Lockhart, a disciple of Zangan style and protector of the planet. This fact had never been more true when a Grand Horn and few other members of its species had terrorized the town in the early hours of the morning.

Waking up to find the hulking beasts tearing through buildings, she donned her combat gloves before falling upon them. Rushing down one with rapid blows, the martial artist left it defeated as she launched herself at its fellows. The one nearest to her had cornered an unlucky young man, preparing itself to strike the youth down. Before it could do so, Tifa dispatched it, catapulting off its torso into a devastating somersault kick. The last one saw her approach and swung its titanic arms, forcing her back. Unable to get close to its center, she struck at its limbs, whittling away at its defenses instead. As it slowed from her onslaught, the quick-footed brawler attacked its legs, a fluid sweep kick ending it as it toppled over dead. In the aftermath, Tifa became the town's protector, defeating any and all monsters that threatened Costa del Sol and its inhabitants. Having found her place in the world, the lone brunette was no longer looking for anything. No longer waiting for anyone. She was happy. She was healing.

As the months passed, more familiar faces would greet her. A chance encounter with Barret had allowed her to make a simple request: a vacation with her children. Before her friend had set off for Edge to fulfill her wish, he had asked if she had any message for Cloud. Feeling the grief wash over her, she had given him no reply then as he exited the bar. But to her delight, they arrived days later and after a tearful reunion with a tag-along Yuffie, Tifa explained herself. Despite some hurt and confusion, the two were understanding of their mother's pain. The distance had not dimmed their love for her at all. Denzel and Marlene were simply ecstatic to be with the fighter as they spent their days in the sun. Showing them around her new home, they came to cherish the town as well. During quiet moments, she would ask them about their lives in Edge. As they revealed to her their hardships, she choked back a sob as she imagined them hungry and cold.

"But it was alright," assured Marlene. "Cloud worked really hard."

Hearing his idol's name, Denzel immediately perked up. "He did! And not just with money and stuff…" trailed the young man, blushing as he remembered a certain moogle's girl lips upon his cheeks. Without Cloud's advice, the young man knew that would never have happened.

"And he cooks too now! He got so much better, Tifa! He even..."

The raven tressed bruiser's face fell. This was the first she had heard of him in months, hoping to forget the sting of their failed relationship. At the mere mention of the swordsman, Tifa knew that she remembered everything.

Seeing the despairing look upon the grown woman's face at the mention of their father, the children immediately changed the subject. "Ooh and Big Sis Elena and Shelke help me a lot with my homework!" revealed the little girl, changing the topic of their conversation.

"Really?" inquired their parent, her sadness morphing into surprise at the mention of her enemies turned allies. "They work at Seventh Heaven too?"

As the stories ended and the children eventually returned to Edge, Tifa was sure they would be fine. She would be too. Barring any mention of Cloud Strife, an occurrence she thought unlikely. But it seemed the odds would never favor her as one day, her blue eyed heartbreaker was everywhere. The battling bartender couldn't turn her carmine gaze anywhere without seeing Gaia's newest hero. The dashing warrior that saved the helpless from monsters, disappearing as quickly as he had arrived on the scene. He was stealing women's hearts and earning the praises of the men. With strength and determination, Cloud had become the public's newest darling.

Passing a restaurant on her way back to the bar from a day of shopping, the dark haired pugilist couldn't help but watch as the aftermath of his newest battle played onscreen. A dragon from Nibelheim had fallen to his blade was all she could understand as a boy with binoculars recounted the clash. "He's so hot," practically moaned a lady in her twenties as an image of the blonde's handsome face flashed across the screen. "And a heck of a hero to boot. Wonder if he's taken?"

"A good looking hunk of man like that? Girl," began her friend. "I'd be surprised if he wasn't. And he's got a fine ride! What woman wouldn't want him? Bet he's great for nightly activities too, right, Tifa?"

"Uh," Tifa mumbled, finding her face turning red hot at the mention of Cloud's nightly activities as the girls suddenly acknowledged her. "I guess. But he's gotta be busy. I don't think monster hunting leaves time for much else," she responded, trying to sound as casual as possible. With pink in her cheeks, the blushing brawler vividly remembered a shared evening under the Highwind with the strapping bladesman.

"He's finally a hero. But I don't need a hero anymore," thought Tifa with a wistful smile as she turned away from the shop, making her way back down the street. But not long after, the hero himself would appear. In Costa del Sol, mobbed by his loyal fans, Cloud would be forced to wade through them as Yuffie and Barret came to his aid. With her children in town for another visit, she watched from afar as Denzel and Marlene reached him at the center of the human wave. After giving him their love, they sprinted back to her waiting arms as she took a single glance at his retreating form. It was for the briefest moment. But Tifa Lockhart knew the truth. A truth she would be forced to confront later that night.

"Tifa," asked Marlene, seated beside her sibling at the bar counter. "Do you and Cloud like each other the way mommies and daddies do?"

"Yeah, do you?" added Denzel. "He said that he liked you the way a dad was supposed to like a mom."

"Oh," the older woman replied, trying to control the sudden thrumming in her chest as she cooked, her back turned to them. "When did he say that?"

"Well, it was a while back," admitted Denzel.

The thrumming stopped. Chewing her bottom lip, Tifa knew what that meant. He had forgotten her. He no longer cared for her. That was why he hadn't come for her all year. She didn't blame him one bit. She had cut him deep. Now she would never see her hero again. But why did she care? She had told herself she didn't need him anymore. "Just don't think about it then," responded the barmaid, trying to keep her voice cheerful despite the void in her heart opening again.

"All right," conceded the two as Marlene returned to her drawing of their family, sadness evident in her tone. Beside her, Denzel simply poked at his food, having lost his appetite. The next day, she saw them off again. After they left her warm embrace, they boarded the ship for Junon with Barret. Then she was by herself once more, left alone on the dock. As she stood there, Tifa could only hear her daughter's question in her head over and over again.

Did she like Cloud the way a mom liked a dad?

Was she, Tifa Lockhart, still in love with Cloud Strife?

Sighing to herself, she finally said it.

"I'm in love with you, Cloud," she whispered, hoping her admission would be lost to the crashing waves. Her ebony locks whipped in the wind as she stood on the docks without anyone to hear her confession. Tifa felt empty once more. He was lost to her now, a fleeting glimpse to be her final memory of him. So the martial artist proceeded like that for the next week as all color seemed to have left her life. Even simple tasks were a struggle as the lonely lady with carmine eyes lazily cleaned the fully stocked shelves with a rag. All alone in the bar with her thoughts, it was then that she smelled a familiar fragrance. One of flowers. One of a friend.

"Hey, Tifa!" greeted Aerith Gainsborough, their backs turned to one another. "You've done great! I'm sorry I haven't visited by the way. Couldn't figure out where you were!"

"Aerith, it's fine," she replied with a smile for her friend, having missed the flower girl's brightness. "The place is beautiful. Better than when you and I were here. And how'd you know where I was?"

"A little birdie told me," replied the ribbon haired girl with a smile. "Oh, I always hoped we'd get to come back here! I kept saying the beach was so pretty!"

"You were right," admitted the more shy of the two women.

"I was," chirped the Cetra. "But you know why I'm here."

Tifa did. "Cloud. You're here because of Cloud."

"That's right," Aerith responded, her tone growing more serious. "Are you going to go back someday?"

The red eyed lady could only shrug her shoulders. "I don't know. But I don't think he'd want me there. I mean, after everything..." she trailed into silence.

"Hey," cut in the specter of her friend. "I understand why you left. You needed to be Tifa again. And Cloud wasn't really there. But I don't know if either of you really were."

"I pushed too hard," sighed Tifa, tears welling in her eyes. "And he got scared. You and I both know what he went through. I shouldn't have done that. It ended up hurting him."

"You hurt each other," reminded Aerith sadly. "Neither of you meant to. But that doesn't mean you can't heal together. So if you want that, you can't wait around forever! Dilly-dally shilly-shally!"

At hearing her own words used against her so humorously, the fighter laughed despite the weight in her chest. "I know, I know. But even if I did do something, why would he come for me?"

The flower girl smiled. "He promised to be your hero. He promised to protect me. He promised to save the planet. He might not always be great at it," sing-songed the girl from the Lifestream with a chuckle. "But he does keep his promises in the end."

"Besides," continued the florist. "I think he's gotten better at keeping them. The others don't have to kick him in the pants anymore. He tends to come around before the end now."

"That's Cloud for you," murmured Tifa Lockhart with a smirk.

"That's Cloud for you," repeated a smiling Aerith Gainsborough. "You can't keep running. From him or from yourself. He's learned to keep his promises. Still learning actually."

"And me?"

"Hm," paused the Ancient. "I think you need to take a step back. That's what you've been doing since you got here. He needs to get moving. But you need to stay still for once. You take care of everyone. You love everyone. You want them to be better. You push them to be better. But that means you expect a lot too."

The green eyed spirit slowed, letting her words and thoughts flow carefully. "Just push less. Let people stand on their own. Cloud did. Marlene did. Denzel did. We all did, really. Even you. See? It'll always work itself out. Even now."

After a silence, Aerith spoke once more. "I have to go now. I have something to take care of. But don't forget what I said. After all, you might be surprised. Heroes tend to pop up when you don't expect them."

She could only nod in agreement as her friend faded, leaving by herself once more. Returning to the shelves, Tifa heard someone enter the bar. Eyes misty, she kept her back turned, trying to recover from the emotional moment. "Welcome to Johnny's Heaven! I'm Tifa. What can I get you?" she asked, a tremor in her voice as she tried to add some cheer to her tone.

It was quiet before her customer made his choice, a shy but honest smile on his face as he uttered four familiar words.

"Give me something hard."

*coughs* You all know where this is going. I wonder what could be happening next chapter. Oh my... *sly look* My thanks for reading and leave a review. =)


	11. Chapter 11

Zack Fair couldn't stop laughing, wheezing out a reply as his friend's story finished. "Boy, oh, boy, my parents gave you a speech?"

"Yes."

"Tell me one thing: did my mom give you the "mom" look?"

"Yes, too," admitted Cloud with a smirk as he remembered the woman's stern glance of disappointment. "They're doing great by the way. Glad you remembered to ask."

"Oh don't guilt trip me!" exclaimed the black haired man. "You're the one that held off on telling them."

With that exchange, the two shared a laugh, their teasing and bickering always innocent and childish despite their shared status as hardened warriors.

"What're you two laughing about?" inquired the voice of Aerith, suddenly appearing beside her lover. Both faced away from Cloud as seemed to be custom during their meetings. "The sun isn't even up yet, guys."

"Nothing, Aerith," came Cloud's nonchalant reply, trying to steer the topic away from the speech of love and commitment he had received from Zack's parents. "Just an early visit."

"Nothing? What do you mean "nothing"?" Babe, he found her! And he's gonna talk to her!" revealed Zack, happy for the blonde. "'Bout time you manned up anyway."

"That's great!" said the Cetra, offering her full support. "But something's missing, isn't it?"

Cloud agreed. "Something is. I don't know how to talk to her. It's almost been a year. I don't know how she'll feel."

After a thoughtful silence, Zack had an idea which he thought was foolproof. "You could practice, man. Use me. See, I'm like her. Good looking, black hair, great chest, too-ow!"

"Cloud," began Aerith, withdrawing her elbow from Zack's stomach as he griped about the pain in his abdomen. "I don't know where she is. But I can feel her. Tifa's not doing too well right now. She was better for a while but then she saw you."

The still living blade wielder flinched, saddened that he had been the source of Tifa's pain once more. "So she did see me back then. In Costa del Sol."

"No wonder she was happy!" exclaimed the girl in the pink dress. "We all loved that place."

"Oh, you bet," chimed in Zack, fondly remembering his own stay in the sunny town.

Despite happily reminiscing about their time by beachside, Aerith knew it was time to get serious. After a moment of silence, she spoke. "Cloud, maybe you should start by talking about why you hurt her."

"Right," he replied, acknowledging the florist's reasoning.

"We know you were scared of hurting your family again. Especially Tifa. But you never told her, did you? Now she needs to know too," continued the lady of the chapel. "You might not have meant it but it happened."

"And don't forget to say you're sorry," added Zack. "That's why you're going to see her anyway right? To apologize."

Cloud nodded before speaking. "I want her to come back too. I don't like this. It's like we're hiding from each other. And I'm done hiding. I mean it. I know what I wanna say but not how to say it."

Aerith knew the perfect response. "You told us once that she said words weren't the only way to tell people how you feel. So use something else. Not words," finished the cheerful lady with a smile.

"Not flowers or chocolates," said her boyfriend, a contemplative hand on his chin. "Something different. Special. Something only you two would appreciate. She like art?"

His loving flower girl chuckled. "I think we should let him figure it out. It's his turn now," claimed the green eyed woman as she laid her head on the blonde's right shoulder. "I'm glad you're not running away now."

"Don't forget what you said a few years ago," reminded her dark haired beloved, resting his own hand on the other man's left shoulder. "You're not alone anymore. So when you go get her, we'll be with you all the way."

"Thanks," expressed the blue eyed warrior, his gratitude immense. "And I think I know what to give her."

Smiling, the pair slowly vanished, leaving the SOLDIER alone with his thoughts for a long while. Emboldened by their words, Cloud eventually exited the chapel, a sense of determination filling him. As he settled onto Fenrir and began to think about what he would give to Tifa, he got a call.

"Reeve, where to this time?"

"Well, hello to you too, Cloud."

"Sorry," replied the SOLDIER. "Just got a lot on my mind."

"I'm sure. Being a father, courier and monster hunter can't be easy, " came Reeve's voice over the PHS, always understanding yet humorous. "But it's rather serious right now. Problems in Cosmo Area. I would like you, Vincent and Nanaki to investigate."

"Glad you asked," said the rider with a smirk.

"Why do I get the feeling this call came at an opportune moment?"

"Because it did, Reeve."

Hastily making his way to Seventh Heaven, the swordsman was shocked to find the household already risen despite the early hour. With their help, Cloud quickly packed his provisions. First was the extra lunch and dinner courtesy of the three Big Sisters. Then came planned routes with his children and a visiting Barret. Now he was sure he had remembered everything he needed for the journey ahead. Finishing a final check of his equipment, he zipped up his pack before making his way to the door. "Hey, blondie," called Yuffie, wiping down the countertop with Elena and Shelke. "Where're you going? We never really asked, did we?"

Turning, Cloud favored his family with a nervous but determined smile. "Job from Reeve. Cosmo Area."

They all mattered to him. Denzel. Marlene. Yuffie. Barret. Elena. Shelke. They had all become his family. And to his joy, their smiles told him he mattered to them as well. And even though he hadn't said anything, they knew Cloud had been tasked with bringing home the final member of their family. A task he promised he would not fail at.

"You can do it, Cloud," cheered his children.

"Don't mess up, Spiky," said Barret.

"Good luck," encouraged Elena and Shelke.

"You've got this!" exclaimed the kunoichi.

With a firm nod, he made his way out the door, meeting the dawning sun with a sense of purpose he hadn't felt before.

Two days later, Cloud was pulling into Costa del Sol. After a relatively uneventful investigation of a previously hidden Shinra lab near Red XIII's home, the trio had elected to personally deliver their findings to Reeve. While his friends made arrangements for transport, Cloud knew the time had come. Lingering outside Johnny's Heaven beneath an inky sky, the blonde reached his hand out to open the bar door before a presence stopped him.

"Hold on a bit, bud," called Zack, appearing behind him. "Our ladies are having a heart to heart. Well, that and Aerith wanted to see her."

He could only offer an understanding smirk in return. "So this is the boy version of that."

"Exactly," spoke the spirit of the deceased SOLDIER. "It'll be short. Just got one question for you anyway."

"Which is?"

"What're you gonna tell her? I mean you really hurt her," mumbled Zack. "But she hurt you too. Not angry? Confused? Sad?"

The blonde man could only shake his head. "I'm past that. I just wanna apologize. Tell her my side. Then I hope she comes back."

The black haired spirit whistled. "Darn, you really have grown up. You really meant it. No more hiding eh?"

"Dreams and honor," declared Cloud softly but with conviction. "Dreams and honor."

Zack smiled. "Funny. I always thought you were better at the second part. Protecting your friends and the planet. You were a bit shaky with the dreams thing. You left your girl and your kids. You were real sad about me and Aerith. You never even got to say goodbye your mom and your town. You didn't move on. You were scared and I was scared for you."

"I'm still scared," responded the swordsman. "But I'm ready. I want this. I want her. But I'm not gonna stand in her way either. She deserves to be happy. With or without me."

"I can see you mean that," replied his friend. "And I'm proud of you. You finally got the first part down. I've always known it. This just proves I was right. You are a First Class SOLDIER."

"Thank you, Zack." As those words left his mouth, Cloud felt a familiar warmth pass over him. It was his moment.

"No problem at all, Cloud. Aerith's done," confirmed Zack. "Showtime, man."

Feeling his friends leave, Cloud then stood all by himself. One door away from the love of his life beneath the night sky, he felt every fiber in his body scream for him to run. This was too much. He would fail. She would never come back. Never love him the way he loved her. Even if she did, he would mess it all up again with his coldness. He would destroy her and their family.

Even as these thoughts ran through his head, the SOLDIER held onto a single memory as he closed his eyes to steady himself. He could see it perfectly in his mind's eye. With all the speed he could muster, he remembered turning from his loving mother's smiling face as he left through the front door. With red in his cheeks and a fire in his step, the young boy hurried up the water tower. Tifa Lockhart, the pretty girl from next door was going to see him. At his request, no less. He would impress her, he told himself then, too young to truly understand the feelings in his youthful heart. Soon enough, the young lady was beside him. Their conversation was a blur as his heart raced in his chest with her so close. Cloud could barely remember what they had said.

Except for a single promise.

"Umm, if ever you get really famous and I'm ever in a bind… You come save me all right?" mumbled a girl with long black hair as her red-brown gaze met the star strewn heavens above.

"What?" his younger self spat out. He truly had a way with words.

"Whenever I'm in trouble, my hero will come and rescue me. I want to experience that at least once."

"What?" he spat out again. Was Tifa asking him to be her hero?

"Come on!" she exclaimed, a frustrated pout warping her doll-like face. "Promise me!"

"All right," he conceded, his heart pounding in his chest. "I promise…"

Opening his eyes, Cloud Strife replayed those words again and again as he opened the door. Stepping into the bar, he finally looked upon her for the first time in almost a year. Her back turned to him, he strode up to the counter, realizing his split second glance had barely encapsulated the vision that was the woman before him. She was radiant. "Welcome to Johnny's Heaven! I'm Tifa," she greeted, her voice music to his ears. "What can I get you?"

He fell silent as he sought the right words to say while she waited for his reply. I'm sorry? I'm in love with you? Please come back? Once again depending on his memories, he settled on the words he had given her on a day four years ago. Ones uttered as a simple request for a drink.

Mustering his confidence, Cloud smiled. Simple. Honest. Boyish.

"Give me something hard."

At the sound of his voice, she tensed. "Alright," Tifa murmured, suddenly losing her glow. "Nothing too hard but we've got some beer left."

"That's perfect," he said as the girl of his dreams filled a flagon with foaming gold liquid. With grief, he realized that she wasn't meeting his gaze even though she had turned around. As the beautiful bartender handed him his drink, he sensed feelings emanate from her as she neared him. Hurt. Grief. Fear. Feeling his own darkness stir in the recesses of his mind, the swordsman banished it by doing what he should've done a year ago. He talked to Tifa Lockhart.

"You look like a girl I knew," Cloud began, his mouth dry despite the sip of beer he had just taken. "She lived with me. We had kids. But she left about a year ago. It was because I hurt her. Badly."

A pause. The sound of rushing water filled his ears as she turned away again. He stared for a moment, following silky raven tresses down her back as she went about washing dishes. Forging on, Cloud continued his confession. "I knew her from when we were kids. We grew up in the same town. Then we didn't see each other for a while. It was because I left. I wanted to get into SOLDIER. But when I saw her again, we went through a lot together," he mused while his eyes traced the wood of the counter.

"Before all that, she made me promise to be her hero. I was never great at it," he said sadly, looking to the barmaid. She still hadn't turned to face him. It made him almost want to get up and leave. But he was a year wiser now. And so he made the wise decision. "But I'd like to tell her I've gotten better at it."

Cloud chose to stay.

Then there was quiet. Running water. Sloshing beer. He searched his mind and heart for what to say next.

"But why? Why now? After one year?" came Tifa's voice gently, giving him direction.

The first words she had spoken directly to him after so long. A question. He could tell she wanted to ask more. Why didn't you like me? Why wasn't I good enough for you? Why did you hurt me? But she had settled for the simplest of questions.

"Because," he began slowly, sipping his drink. "It wouldn't have been right before now. I was scared. I wasn't the guy she deserved. I still don't think I am. Don't think I ever will be."

So he had given her the simplest of answers.

The words flowed freely now, his shy expression giving way to a gentle smirk. He spoke easily. Smoothly. No longer dilly-dallying. "But I'd like to tell her I'm sorry. For everything. She takes care of everybody. But nobody ever takes care of her. Not even me. But that's why I…" he trailed.

The sound of rushing water had stopped. Her hands now gripped the edge of the sink tightly.

"...That's why I fell in love with her. It's why I'm still in love with her," confessed Cloud Strife, the boy from Nibelheim who had spent so much of his life looking up at a window. Now he could only hope the girl next door was looking down at him too. "I want her to come back. To our family. Things are different. In a good way, I think. There's more of us now. We take care of each other. We'd take care of her too."

"What if," started Tifa. "She never did? Because of how hurt she was? What if she was happy somewhere else?"

He knew this question would come.

After years of pain, she was asking him one thing: "Would you let me go if I asked?"

"I wouldn't stop her," he responded firmly. "I think that'd show her how I felt. Maybe she'd appreciate that. She told me once that I didn't have to use words to show how I feel. I would leave her alone. I'd live with that. And I'd be okay. I want her to be happy, no matter where that is. Even without me. That's how I feel."

"It would hurt," admitted the boy, his blue eyes still fixed on the girl. "But if she ever changed her mind, she'd still have a home with me. With our family."

Downing the last of his drink, Cloud could see that Tifa still hadn't faced him. He had said what he had wanted to say. He had bared his heart and soul to her. Yet, she hadn't even turned to look at him. It was over. It was alright. Having placed his payment on the counter, he turned to leave. Pushing the bar door open, the boy was prepared to meet the evening alone.

"Wait," called the girl, her voice almost a whisper. Soft. Vulnerable. "What if she thought coming back would only make thing worse for you? If she knew that she already hurt you once? And that she didn't want to see you sad anymore?"

He stopped, finally understanding her. She was right. She had scared him. Pushed him. Wounded him. But still the boy turned towards her, his azure gaze gentle and his smile soft. "She did hurt me..." he trailed. "But I promise that I've already forgiven her. I promise that if she comes back, she'll know me. A different me. I promise that I'm not running away anymore."

The girl's head turned then, her long hair allowing him only the barest glimpse of her flawless profile. Porcelain cheeks glistened with fresh tears as the smallest of smiles graced her lips. "Goodnight, miss," he said warmly. "You really do look like her. You're just as pretty. Just as strong."

Once again turning to greet the night air, the boy left the girl behind. Now he could only wait for her.

As Fenrir roared to life, Cloud only smiled quietly as he looked up. On that evening, the endless night sky glowed as countless stars shone brightly overhead. Enjoying the shining tapestry, he breathed in, his heart freed of the burden he had carried for the past year. In its place came new hope. New promises.

Hearing a ship's horn, the swordsman knew it was time to go. Sending Fenrir speeding towards the docks, he made it onto the ship just as its cargo hold had started to close. Removing the keys from his bike before looking around for his friends, he was greeted by the sight of a quadrupedal figure and a tall one approaching him.

"You have made a most timely arrival, Cloud," noted Red XIII with a smirk. "Where were you?"

"Taking care of something. It was important. Penance for a sin," he replied, gaze settling on his tailed friend before meeting Vincent's eyes. The two nodded at one another, understanding passing between two men who had just begun atoning for past mistakes.

Beneath his crimson mantle, Vincent Valentine smirked knowingly for the first time in nearly three decades, genuinely happy for the younger man and the woman he was in love with.

As the ship sailed off into the night, she was all alone once more. It was only then that Tifa finally turned, facing the spot where Cloud had just been. She hadn't joined him. Not tonight, unready as she was to rejoin their family. But her heart soared at her hero's admission of his love for her. He had come for her. He hadn't forgotten about her. Happy tears streaming down her face, she went to collect his payment as a delicate but joyful smile formed on her features. But despite her joy, she could not help but remember all the sorrow she had been through. He had ignored her. Left her for a year so he could die for his guilt. And when they were finally more than just friends, he had been cold to her. If she came back, wouldn't he just be hurting her again? Wouldn't she be hurting him as well? Her needs would only leave him grieving and broken once more. Neither of them had really changed. They would just restart the cycle. While these feelings ate at her, the lonesome woman began counting the money he had left as payment for his drink, her expression darkened once more. As the fighter picked up the last of his gil, she noticed that he had left something else as well.

Tifa Lockhart took the drawing into her hands. Her eyes perused the portrait of all those she cared for, gazing fondly at each crayon rendered figure. From a lovably cranky pilot and his patient scientist wife. To a spunky ninja. Three Big Sisters. A four-legged friend. A boisterous but caring mountain of a man. A pink clad gunman. A friendly executive and his robot companion. Then a pair of lovers finally reunited. At last, she found them. She was beside him, her combat gloves and dark tresses unmistakable beside his own blonde locks and blade. In her heart and mind, Tifa decided that their pair was her favorite. Beyond that, Cloud Strife's pastel form was her favorite figure among all their loved ones. The carmine eyed girl from Nibelheim knew then that he had pieced their family together. The drawing she held was proof of that.

But the young lady next door found one other thing to love. Her gaze still lingering on his form and hers together, she could only smile lovingly as she noticed the glowing heart above them. With that, Tifa Lockhart felt all her doubt and worry vanish. He truly was done running. Now so was she.

It's almost the end! Thank you reading and I hope you leave a review. =) Writing this chapter was harder than the others. Never was one for romantic scenes. So for inspiration I decided to set this chapter some music from the FF7 soundtrack of course. Made it so much easier to get into their heads for this part.

The first is The Main Theme of Final Fantasy 7 (which I believe has been considered Cloud's unofficial theme) - watch?v=D_oS8zsO2nU  
This plays the moment Aerith lays her head on Cloud's shoulder and all the way up until Zack leaves Cloud outside Johnny's Heaven. It starts again when Cloud leaves the bar until he finishes speaking with Red XIII and Vincent

The second is Tifa's Theme - watch?v=x20TtbnUJ3E&t=131s  
This starts when Cloud flashes back to the Water Tower Promise until Cloud leaves. After the scene aboard the ship, it plays again until the chapter ends

And finally a special link for how long it took me to get to this very special moment. ( watch?v=E-xhxS581Uc)


	12. Chapter 12

The city of Edge had always been host to unstable weather. Like Midgar before it, Gaia's newest bustling metropolis could be sunny one minute and pouring the next. To the relief of a certain SOLDIER, monster slayer and delivery boy, the skies were clear as he pulled into the driveway beside his home and bar. Cloud had taken a package to the nearby Fort Condor, having settled back into his regular routine since his time in Costa del Sol. Since he had seen Tifa. And since then, a week had gone by. A week in which not a word had reached the blonde's ears about the woman he was in love with. "It's alright," he whispered with a quiet smile despite the slight tug of grief in his chest. "She's happy."

Choosing to distract himself from the hurt, he headed into Seventh Heaven, unlocking the door with his personal key. Finding it empty, he remembered the excursion the rest of the household had chosen to make before he had left on his job and the conversation that had preceded it.

"It'll be all good! I won't forget to lock up," assured Yuffie happily as Cloud conceded with a smirk, giving the woman he considered to be a sister his full trust. "This is just really important!"

"I can confirm Yuffie's claims," added Shelke calmly with a nod. "The sellers of fresh produce have been regularly informing us of a delivery arriving today that is of exceptional quality. I would like to accompany her to assess their information."

"Alright, he responded as he returned her nod, having developed an odd friendship with the equally reserved lady. "Anyone else?"

Polishing a flagon, Elena decided to add herself as a member of the market trip posse. "I will also be joining them, Cloud," said the Turk formally, having developed a mutual respect and friendly rapport with her enemy turned employer. "I believe the children will be accompanying us as well."

Mm-hm!" yelped Denzel and Marlene from a nearby booth, unable to speak as they munched on breakfast.

"So, everybody but me? We'll be opening late then."

Everybody but Cloud nodded then.

Now, despite the relative simplicity of their task compared to his, everybody but him had yet to return to Seventh Heaven. "Where are they? Did the kids get them to go somewhere again?" he thought with a smirk. "Looks like it's just me."

Preparing to open the bar, he set about making it presentable to customers. From taking inventory to arranging stools to mopping, Cloud performed the chores with an ease he hadn't possessed one year ago. As he finished, the swordsman wiped the almost imperceptible sheen of sweat from his brow as he stowed his cleaning implements. Deciding that Seventh Heaven was clean enough, he flipped the sign on the door to "Open".

Noticing the clock on the wall point to twelve noon, Cloud Strife readied himself for what was sure to be a lunch rush. Within minutes, his suspicions had been proven correct as men and women filed in eagerly, filling the bar to near capacity. Thankfully, the blue eyed SOLDIER's enhancements allowed him to keep up with the onslaught of orders. Some requested the bar's typical fare of food and drinks. These were greeted with confirmation and professionalism. Other requests were unusual and were in recognition of Cloud Strife, hero of Gaia. From photos with customers to autographs on napkins, he met each with a combination of kindness and awkwardness he had carried his whole life.

Soon, the lunch rush had died down and he had seen off the last customer. Sure that he had dealt with the most strenuous portion of the bar's daily clientele, Cloud turned to wash the dishes. Strapping on an apron, the Mako fueled warrior cut a humorous but wholesome figure as he rinsed off a plate before placing it with its fellows on the rack. He had never envisioned this for himself. A home. A family. Domesticity. Kids. His thoughts then turned to Denzel and Marlene's Parent-Teacher Conference. Occurring within the week, Cloud initially hadn't been able to understand the purpose for parents and teachers to meet. That changed with explanations of his children. Now he was ready for an afternoon of goal-setting and behavior monitoring with a woman who had sent him a photo of herself clad in nothing but a white dress shirt and lingerie.

The SOLDIER cleared the inappropriate thought easily by imagining how he and Barret would look as parents. One was a courier and celebrity wielding an almost impractical greatsword. The other was a tough man with a gun for an arm who wore net shirts and cursed as easily as he breathed. Remembering the event from months before that had ended with Reeve's speech, his family with Barret as another father had been hailed as "forward-thinking" and "progressive" by the parents and staff.

Unsure of what they meant, he had gone to the executive a second time that evening. The WRO Commissioner had found difficulty in his stifling laughter upon realizing the intent of the complements and elucidating their meaning for the swordsman. After an enlightening conversation, Cloud and Barret had resolved to stand a respectable and platonic distance apart at all following school events. Allowing a tiny but amused smile to grace his features, Seventh Heaven's temporary bartender finished off the last plate, setting it onto the dish rack before moving onto the flagons and glasses.

Counting them as he passed them beneath the flowing water and soap, Cloud remembered how a number had been broken due to events from a few nights ago. Thanks to Yuffie's special Wutai brew, several bad decisions made by mentally addled bar goers had led to a raucous chugging competition. The result was the current lack of drinking materials. The blue eyed bladesman smirked slyly as he remembered his punishment for the kunoichi. He had simply left her unconscious form atop the counter, covered in alcohol and food after she had passed out drunk for the first time in her life. She woke up the morning after nursing regret alongside an aching head and back.

He had settled in nicely into this life, managing his work and his home. He had found a family. He had moved past his guilt and had finally grieved for his lost years and loved ones. The pain would never cease. But he could live with it now. Cloud Strife had become the best version of himself. Aloof and stoic but still caring and thoughtful, this awkward mix of attributes had come to embody him. They always had. It had just taken him time to realize it.

But there was one thing he would never be able to leave behind. Silky dark locks. Vibrant carmine eyes. A curvaceous but athletic and powerful form. But most of all, a kind and beautiful face that he treasured despite the legion of women seeking him. Tifa Lockhart filled his thoughts then. He remembered his mother urging him to find an older girlfriend to take care of him. With a half smile, Cloud realized that he had found a loving woman to care for him. Despite being younger than him, she had given her everything to him. Her home. Her patience. Her heart. And despite his apology and promise, he knew she would not return. With a sigh, the blonde returned to his chore. As he scrubbed the last glass, he heard Seventh Heaven's door open. A customer.

Untying his apron and setting it aside, he greeted them calmly as he wiped away the remnants of used soap and water from the sink.

"Welcome to Seventh Heaven. I'm Cloud," he said as he continued to play bartender, his back turned still turned to whoever was now sitting at the counter. "Can I get you anything?"

Her turn to speak had come.

"Give me something hard."

Hearing her voice, the young man from Nibelheim couldn't help but smile. Small. Honest. Boyish.

"Corel wine? It's a favorite," he replied timidly, turning to face her but not meeting her gaze as he set a flagon on the counter and poured.

"Please do," said the girl, her voice as small as his. "By the way, you look like a boy I knew."

He smirked, passing her a flagon filled with her drink of choice. "Do I?"

"You do. He made me a promise when we were kids. He said he would be my hero. I made him do it," she admitted with a chuckle. "But I guess I wanted to know what that was like. To be rescued by a hero."

He leaned on the counter, nearer to her now than he had been in their year apart. "You're a beautiful lady, miss. I think he had a crush on you. Only reason a boy would say that."

Tucking her hair behind her ear, she continued with a blush on her cheeks. "I think you're right. We got together two years ago. But I left last year. I thought he wasn't in love with me. I was wrong. He was. He just didn't know how to show it. I know that now."

He gazed upon her, azure eyes shining with all he felt for her, noting with delight the familiar black shorts and vest she wore. "He still is."

"I know that too," she said softly, eyes on the countertop as she sipped away at her wine. "But I never apologized for leaving him. I shouldn't have done that. I really am sorry though. For hurting him. Even before I was gone. I hope he knows I'm still in love with him too."

"He does now. He doesn't blame you for leaving either."

She smiled, her glow returning to warm them both. "I was scared to go back to him. To come home. I was lucky though. Some friends encouraged me."

"These friends of yours," began the boy. "Were they at the market?"

"Yes, some were," the girl said with a sheepish but melodic laugh. "Some were from where I went. They understood I had to go back."

He laughed too before asking her one simple question. "But why would you come back?"

Both fell silent then, unsure of what to say next.

"He made me a new promise a week ago," she started slowly. "He came to see me. He promised to stop running. To be with me. Our family."

She let her eyes travel throughout Seventh Heaven, taking in the life filling it. Life he had brought to it with their family. "He really did mean it. I see it now."

A simple answer.

Feeling the heat of his eyes on her, she let her gaze meet his then. After being apart for so long, carmine melded perfectly with sky blue.

The boy straightened up and stood before her, his hand held out with a soft smile. He was still looking up at the window. "I like to think I've gotten better. Keeping promises isn't too hard for me anymore, Tifa."

"I know, Cloud." The girl smiled back down at him. "I forgive you. And I promise to stop running too."

She took his hand. Intertwining her grip with his, she climbed over the counter clumsily. They shared a gentle laugh as she stumbled slightly. But then she lost her balance, toppling over as she prepared to meet the cold floor. Instead, the girl felt strong arms hold her to him.

"My hero."

No. He was wrong. She wasn't smiling down at him.

Embracing the girl, he pulled her closer, their faces inches apart.

She was standing beside him. They had learned to stand side by side. They always would.

Closing the distance between them, Cloud Strife and Tifa Lockhart made a final promise to each other that day, both finally at home together and for the many years to come.

THE END

THAT'S IT! WOOH! THANK YOU FOR READING UP UNTIL HERE! =) PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW AND IF I WRITE ANYTHING IN THE FUTURE, I HOPE YOU'LL CHECK IT OUT TOO! Being completely honest, I've only dabbled in fanfiction. Been reading it on and off for a few years. All of a sudden I chose to write a story. Why? Guess 'cuz a fic I read about inspired my own ideas on the Cloud and Tifa dynamic post FF7. Now that was something I had to get out. I'd been hearing about hate for Cloud because he left in AC. People saying what he did was selfish and he didn't deserve a happy ending with Tifa because my guy was some sort of coward and/or manipulative prick. Considering everything he's been through I'd beg to differ so, here and now, RANT INCOMING.

From growing up in a town where he was ignored/bullied by everyone except his mom and Tifa to getting slapped in the face by failing to get into SOLDIER, Cloud's image of himself was already screwed up enough. That was only compounded by the burning of Nibelheim and his torture at Hojo's hands. Then let's not forget Zack and Aerith's deaths, failing to find a cure for Geostigma and then getting Geostigma which allowed Sephiroth (*plays One Winged Angel* SEPHIROTH!) to mess with his head. I mean it's not surprising to see him shut down like that. But he handled it all. He is far from weak. Never once did he quit for some alone time to rest and recover. Nope, Cloud forged ahead and saved the Planet and his friends no matter what crap he had going on in his head. Don't lowball him by calling him a weak dick like that. He makes mistakes but he doesn't let them slip by. Cloud makes up for them.

Same thing with Tifa. Everytime I see her relationship with Cloud post FF7 prtrayed sadly, it all feels the same. He's emotionally manipulative and scared? Well, this poor girl is just his victim waiting to be swept off her feet by Vincent, Rude, Reno, Barret or any other available dude on Gaia. Or maybe she'll straight up leave him. But let me be clear: Tifa Lockhart is no one's victim. She found it in herself to be a friend to the one kid no one but his mother loved. She waited two years for him because of a childhood promise. And in that time, she became a kick ass martial artist. Let's also not forget what happens after. Town burns? She makes a new life for herself in Midgar as a cool bartender. She and Cloud reunite to take down Shinra and Sephiroth with AVALANCHE? She's there every step of the way for her friends and for the life she lost. And when she and Cloud take care of Denzel and Marlene but he leaves? She stays. Because she knows that the only way for them to get over their issues is to be a family. She's not obligated to. Tifa stays because whether or not you think she and Cloud are a thing, they care for one another. She stays because she has faith in him, herself and their kids. Their family. Don't treat her like some damsel in distress. She wants a hero, sure, but she doesn't need one.

Heck, Kazushige Nojima (scenario writer for AC) even says that when conceptualizing for the movie he had one thing on his mind: "Inside, I felt one thing was for sure: Cloud and Tifa would be together. Everybody would be back home where they belonged" (FF7 Reunion Files, pg. 70). It's not meant to take away from any other pairing if that's your cup of tea. Last thing I wanna do. But I just think this shows that a happy ending for Cloud and Tifa as more than friends post AC is valid. And that's why I wrote this story. To work through their issues and give them a happy ending. It's not canon at all but it was the most fun I've had in a while. Aside from finally playing the original this year. If you read this story, thank you so much. If you read the rant, thank you again (whether or not you actually agreed). But if you enjoyed this story and didn't just read it? I can't thank you enough. Hopefully we'll see each other somewhere else, eh? =)

**Author's Note:**

> First work here. First work ever shown to people not for a grade. I would really appreciate it if anyone who read this would leave a comment. Thank you! =)


End file.
